Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warns Singaporeans to stay vigilant against deepfake scams proliferating online.
Scammers have moved past unsolicited emails and evolved, using artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos that mimic respected leaders like PM Lee and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. One such videos involves one that falsely depicts PM Lee in an interview, endorsing cryptocurrency investments. The video is believed to be a clip of PM Lee’s “Leaders Talk” interview” with the Beijing-based news network in March 2023, in which his voice has been manipulated. PM Lee warns Singaporeans to steer clear of these videos that offer deceptive promises.
The use of AI and machine learning algorithms has blurred the line where distinguishing between what’s real and what’s fake becomes increasingly challenging. This deepfake technology is not only accessible, but it’s also sophisticated enough to convincingly mimic voices and appearances, transforming legitimate footage into fraudulent content. Notably, DPM Lawrence Wong has also been falsely portrayed as endorsing products and spreading misinformation about the government’s pandemic response, such as the potential reinstatement of a circuit breaker.
PM Lee thanked vigilant citizens for reporting these dubious videos. He directed those who encounter such scams to use the official ScamShield Bot on WhatsApp at https://go.gov.sg/scamshield-bot to report them.
