Ontario man loses $12K to deepfake scam involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"It had Justin Trudeau endorsing it, so I thought, ‘Well this has to be good,’” said Stephen Henry of Toronto.
Last November, Henry said he saw a YouTube video where it appeared the prime minister was recommending a cryptocurrency exchange.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
In the video, manipulated by AI and voice cloning, Trudeau appears to say, “We have developed an investment platform that we believe can help every Canadian safeguard their financial future even during periods of inflation.”
Based on the video, Henry decided to invest.
"I thought, 'It's got to be legitimate, it's got to be perfect. If not, how could you get the prime minister?' So I thought, 'It’s got to be official,'" said Henry.
Henry contacted the website recommended in the YouTube video and was subsequently advised to start investing with $250.
When it seemed his investments were going up, he was advised to keep putting in more money, and it appeared his account had grown to over $40,000. But Henry couldn’t take the money out, and it turned out he was scammed out of $12,000.
“When I tried to get something back, it's the hardest process in the world," said Henry.
Press Secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office Jenna Ghassbeh confirmed to CTV News Toronto that the PMO has seen “how malicious accounts and users can proliferate falsehoods.”
“The amount of deceptive, fake and misleading information and accounts targeting elected officials is increasingly concerning and unacceptable, particularly in an era with deepfake technology,” Ghassbeh said.
A survey by cybersecurity company Okta, which focuses on identity management and avoiding security breaches, found that 75 per cent of Canadians fear their identity could be stolen due to advancements in AI and only 20 per cent are confident they can recognize AI attempts to compromise their information.
Country manager for Okta Dan Kagan said people need to do more to educate themselves on AI and cybersecurity.
"If you're not up on this cyber intelligence and you go about your day, and you’re aloof as to what's going on behind the scene, or as I say behind the screens, then you need to do more to keep your data safe and secure,” said Kagan. “I think AI is here to stay and it's going to be more complex, which is why we as Canadians need to make sure we are fundamentally secure about what we are putting on the internet."
Henry was shocked to find out the videos were doctored using artificial intelligence and said, “So you're saying all of that was AI? All I can say is, 'Wow.'”
The $12,000 he used came out of his savings, which he set aside in hopes of finding a better place to live.
"Now, I’m ripped off of all my chances of ever making a life. That was all the money I had,” said Henry.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
'Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG
The President of Poland says his country would 'of course' be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is 'not interested' in subsidizing future projects.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
A top Qatari official urges Israel and Hamas to do more to reach a ceasefire deal
A senior Qatari official has urged both Israel and Hamas to show "more commitment and more seriousness" in ceasefire negotiations in interviews with Israeli media, as pressure builds on both sides to move toward a deal that would set Israeli hostages free and bring potential respite in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.