Apple and UKGC Investigate Deepfake Scam on Apple App Store
Fake Video of Apple's CEO, British Journalists Endorsing Gambling App Under Investigation
A sinister deepfake scam using popular news personalities and apps from the Apple Store has led to a joint investigation by Apple and the UK Gambling Commission.
Scam artists trick users into gambling illegally
An investigative report by Sky News has exposed a deepfake ring that dupes users into participating in illicit gambling. The trick lies in downloading apps from the Apple store, which promises a secure environment, but in reality, leads to illegal activities.
The unsettling discovery has prompted Apple's law enforcement team and the UK regulator to launch an in-depth investigation. Sky News reports that the initial findings point to over 36 deceptive Facebook accounts, designed to funnel victims towards the Apple App Store.
A game within a game
Sky Science and Technology Reporter Mickey Carroll exposes the deepfake scam in a video. Carroll revealed that she had been a victim of a deepfake ad, promoting an illegal mobile game. In the ad, a deepfake version of her, posing as 'Olivia,' claimed to have won a luxurious car and £500,000 ($663,275) by playing the game. High-profile Sky News presenter Matt Barbet, too, was impersonated in the ad, creating a seemingly authenticversoin of the news presenter.
The so-called Apple CEO, even, was not spared from the deepfake treatment, with the fake CEO announcing an app to earn money for iPhone owners. This app was none other than the deceitful Heavenly Sphere. The deepfake Barbet asked the doctored version of his Sky colleague Carroll how she won such an enormous amount of money, with Carroll replying that it was as simple as downloading the app and playing the game.
According to Carroll, the video footage for the deepfake was looted from a previous discussion about an Apple lawsuit with Barbet on Sky News.
The rise of deepfakes
Deepfake expert Dr Siwei Lyu from the University of Buffalo confirmed the authenticity of the deepfake videos featuring presenters and the Apple CEO. Lyu stated that all three faces in the video were lip-synced using AI models.
Expert Dr Jessica Barker, co-founder of Cygenta, warns that gambling scammers are concentrating on Facebook users by exploiting credible journalists from reputable news organizations like Sky. Barker reported that such targeting tactics are becoming increasingly common.
Conclusion
The use of deepfake technology to trick Facebook users, especially with the involvement of UK news personalities and apps from the Apple Store, has raised concerns over the rapid spread of such scams. The cases demonstrate that scammers are tapping into advanced AI technology to create deepfake videos featuring journalists from prominent news organizations like Sky News. These deepfakes are used to promote illegal online casinos hidden within seemingly innocuous apps on the Apple App Store. These apps initially appear as children's games but morph into unlicensed, illegal casinos, posing a serious threat to users' financial and personal data. As authorities like the UK Gambling Commission and Apple grapple with these scams, urgent regulatory actions are needed to safeguard consumers.
- The deepfake scam on the Apple App Store, as exposed by Sky News, dupes users into illegal gambling activities, using apps that promise security but lead to illicit behavior.
- Mickey Carroll, Sky Science and Technology Reporter, has revealed a deepfake scam in a video, detailing how a deepfake version of herself was used to promote an illegal mobile game, promising big-wins and luxury prizes.
- The deepfake video also featured a deepfake version of Sky News presenter Matt Barbet, adding to its authenticity, and even a doctored Apple CEO, promoting the fraudulent Heavenly Sphere app.
- Deepfake expert Dr Siwei Lyu from the University of Buffalo has confirmed the authenticity of the deepfake videos, stating that all three faces were lip-synced using AI models.
- Dr Jessica Barker, co-founder of Cygenta, warns that such deepfake scams are becoming increasingly common, targeting Facebook users by exploiting credible journalists from reputable news organizations like Sky.
- The rapid spread of deepfake scams, involving UK news personalities and apps from the Apple Store, underscores the need for urgent regulatory actions from authorities like the UK Gambling Commission and Apple, to safeguard consumers from financial and personal data threats posed by these unlicensed, illegal casino-and-gambling and lottery apps masquerading as children's games.
