Malicious actors used AI deepfake technology to create fake news content impersonating Thai PBS anchors and businesspeople to promote a fraudulent investment scheme called CRYSTALLUM AI, distributing it through Facebook ads.
Thai PBS Verify discovered a fake advertisement that falsely used the Thai PBS World Tonight logo and utilized AI deepfake technology to impersonate news anchors and businesspeople. The fake video showed an interview with Mr. Toss Chirathivat, Executive Chairman of Central Group, and Mr. Kalin Sarasin, Honorary Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, encouraging investment in CRYSTALLUM AI. The deepfake used the image of Ms. Patchari Raksawong, a former NHK World news anchor who has never worked for Thai PBS. The original source video was a 2013 news report about flooding in Thailand, published on YouTube by Habitat for Humanity Thailand Foundation. The fake content was distributed through Facebook ads on a page called 'Muscle Merge' and received over 1,200 likes. AI detection tools confirmed the video had a 72.3% probability of being AI-generated. The fake video changed the original English reporting to synthesized Thai voice reporting and superimposed the Thai PBS logo. Both Ms. Patchari and Central Group have publicly warned against the fraudulent content. The incident represents malicious use of deepfake technology for investment fraud targeting Thai audiences.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed