AI-generated deepfake videos featuring celebrities were used by Georgian scammers to promote fake cryptocurrency investment platforms, defrauding over 6,000 people of $35 million through sophisticated call center operations.
Between May 2022 and February 2024, scammers operating from three call centers in Tbilisi, Georgia used AI-generated deepfake videos featuring celebrities like Ben Fogle, Martin Lewis, and Zoe Ball to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms including AdmiralsFX and Golden Currencies. The deepfakes were distributed through social media ads on Facebook and other platforms to attract victims. A team of 85 call handlers and support staff, calling themselves the 'skameri', used the AI-generated content as initial bait to lure over 6,000 victims into fake trading platforms. Victims were shown fake trading interfaces displaying artificial profits, then pressured to pay increasingly large fees to access their supposed winnings. The operation targeted primarily UK and Canadian residents, with UK victims accounting for 45% of attempted calls and losses of nearly £9 million. Individual losses ranged from hundreds to over £162,000, with victims including elderly retirees, NHS doctors, and business professionals. The scammers used sophisticated money laundering networks and shell companies to process payments, often directing victims to use newer online banks like Revolut, Kroo, and Chase to circumvent fraud detection systems.
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.
AI system
Due to a decision or action made by an AI system
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed