While browsing Facebook or Instagram you come across a video where a well-known politician, TV news host or successful entrepreneur enthusiastically recommends an investment platform on which “every Slovak is earning”. The face and the voice match. But that person never said it. It is a deepfake, a video made by artificial intelligence. Here is how this scam works, how to spot it and what to do if you have already invested.

How it works

The scam has several stages and it is well planned:

  1. The fake ad. AI clones the face and voice of a well-known person and places them in a video recommending a “guaranteed” investment. The ad often pretends to be a news article from a respected outlet.
  2. Registration. The link takes you to an unknown platform where you leave your name, email and phone number.
  3. The personal advisor. Shortly after, a friendly “advisor” calls and walks you step by step through making a first deposit, usually a few hundred euros.
  4. The fake profit. On the screen you see your money growing. It is just a number they show you to make you believe and deposit far more.
  5. The withdrawal trap. When you try to withdraw, suddenly it does not work. They demand more fees, “taxes” or verification payments. Eventually they stop communicating and the money is gone.

It often includes a request to install a remote access app so the advisor can “help” you invest. In reality this gives them access to your online banking.

Why it works

The scam relies on trust in a familiar face. When something is recommended by a person you know from television, you lower your guard. Add the look of serious news, the fear of missing an exceptional opportunity, and a helpful advisor guiding you by the hand. This combination is dangerous even for experienced people.

How to spot the scam

  • A promise of a guaranteed or high return. No honest investment promises a sure profit. Where there is a guaranteed return, there is a scam.
  • A famous face endorsing investing. Public figures do not give advice this way. If they “do” it in a social media ad, it is a deepfake.
  • An unknown platform and time pressure. “Places are limited, deposit now.” A serious investment can be considered at your leisure.
  • A request for remote access. No one who has your interest at heart needs to control your device or see into your banking.
  • A problem withdrawing money. When the deposit went easily but the withdrawal suddenly “needs” more fees, it is a classic sign of a scam.

What to do if you already invested

  1. Stop sending further payments. Do not pay any “withdrawal fees” or “taxes”, it is just another layer of the scam.
  2. Give no one remote access. If you already installed the app, remove it and check your device.
  3. Call your bank. Ask to stop the payments and block your card if needed. With fraud, act as fast as possible.
  4. Report it to the police and keep evidence: screenshots of the ad, the conversation with the advisor and payment confirmations.
  5. Report the ad on the social network so fewer people see it.

How to protect yourself in the future

  • Check the platform in the NBS register or that of the relevant regulator. If it is not there, do not invest.
  • Remember that guaranteed returns do not exist. A high promised profit always means high risk or a scam.
  • Never give remote access to a stranger. More about these tools and their risks in Remote access: RDP, VNC, TeamViewer, AnyDesk and RustDesk.
  • Be sceptical of celebrity ads about getting rich quick. It is exactly the trust in a familiar face that the scam abuses.

A deepfake is just another tool in scammers’ hands. How to recognise a fake video is explained in How to recognise a deepfake. The same AI now also clones voices on phone calls, which we covered in They cloned your child’s voice: the AI scam call. For a broader overview of schemes and how to spot them, see The most common scam messages, and for the principle behind them Social engineering and AI scams.