From business deception to impersonations - how AI fraud is breaking online trust

Notable quotes

“AI technology is making impersonation easier and faster to do. And that’s a problem for tech companies.” - Melissa Mahtani, Executive Producer at CBS News, April 23, 2025

“Job scams and fake employment agency losses jumped — a lot. Between 2020-2024, reports nearly tripled and losses grew from $90 million to $501 million.” - Federal Trade Commission, Top Scams of 2024, March 10, 2025

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The latest news

💼 1 in 4 Job applicants will be a deepfake by 2028

CBS News reports that AI bots are impersonating job seekers, highlighting a growing cybersecurity threat where AI is used to create fake job applicants. These AI-generated personas employ tools to craft convincing resumes, cover letters, and even simulate live interviews using deepfake technology. Once hired, these imposters aim to infiltrate companies to steal sensitive information or deploy malware. Experts warn that by 2028, one in four job applicants could be fake, emphasizing the need for enhanced verification measures in the hiring process. As a result, companies are turning to in-person interviews or investing in authenticity technology to mitigate risk. 

📲 Realtime deepfakes: Engaging with victims in the moment

404 Media’s investigation reveals that real-time deepfakes have become dramatically more sophisticated, enabling bad actors to convincingly impersonate people during live video calls. These tools are now being used to bypass know-your-customer (KYC) checks at financial institutions, deceive victims on romance platforms, and fuel a growing wave of consumer fraud. What once required complex setups can now be easily purchased on forums like Telegram for a few hundred dollars, making deepfake technology far more accessible. As barriers to entry fall, the threat to consumers, businesses, and online services is escalating quickly. As a result, authentication technologies are becoming in greater demand to mitigate the risks associated with synthetic media fraud in onboarding and transactions. 

📸 Controversy highlights rising stakes of image authenticity

Image authenticity and its provenance continue to top headline news as the latest controversy centers on a digitally altered photo referenced by the US President in the context of immigration. This exchange with ABC News highlights how digital content is critical to public perception, particularly when visual media is involved and its authenticity is questioned. As synthetic and manipulated content become increasingly common, the ability to verify the origin and integrity of digital images is emerging as a foundational element of public trust and informed discourse.

🪪 The Age of Paranoia fueled by AI 

In the evolving digital landscape, the distinction between genuine and fraudulent online interactions is increasingly blurred. A recent WIRED article highlights how advanced AI tools, such as deepfakes and synthetic personas, are being leveraged in sophisticated social engineering scams, particularly targeting job seekers and professionals. These developments have led to a surge in verification measures, ranging from biometric technologies to traditional methods like code words and time-stamped selfies. While these precautions aim to enhance security, they also underscore the growing tension between safeguarding digital identities and maintaining trust in online communications.

💻 How everyday users are fueling the dark side of AI…

The recent investigation of a Canadian pharmacist as a key figure behind MrDeepFakes, a prominent platform for non-consensual deepfake pornography, highlights the accessibility of AI tools that enable individuals with limited technical expertise to create and distribute harmful content. Investigations revealed that the individual managed the site under a pseudonym, contributing to a vast repository of manipulated videos viewed billions of times. 

… And fueling financial aid fraud 🎓

The surge in financial aid fraud within California's community colleges underscores how individuals with minimal technical expertise can exploit AI tools to perpetrate large-scale scams. Recent reports reveal that over $10 million in federal aid was fraudulently obtained in the past year, with an estimated 34% of applications flagged as suspicious. These schemes often involve bots impersonating real students enrolling in online courses and accessing funds intended for genuine learners.

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