“Taylor Swift isn’t selling Le Creuset cookware. However, deepfake advertisements recently appeared that used video clips of the pop star and synthesized versions of her voice to look and sound as if she were doing a giveaway offer. Unsuspecting fans and others who trusted Swift’s brand clicked the ads and entered their personal and credit card information for a chance to win.
Public figures are prime targets for scams that are being created and scaled with help from voice cloning and video deepfake tools.
In July 2023, a video of Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood appeared on social media. Originally created with Cameo, an app that lets people purchase personalized video messages from celebrities, the clip featured Wood sharing words of encouragement with someone named Vladimir who was struggling with substance abuse. “I hope you get the help that you need,” the actor said.
Soon after, it emerged that the heavily edited video was part of a Russian disinformation campaign that sought to insinuate that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a drug and alcohol problem. At least six other celebrities, including boxer Mike Tyson and Scrubs actor John McGinley, unwittingly became part of the scheme. Despite clumsy editing, the videos were shared widely on social platforms.”