Deepfake Scam Videos Now Uses MrBeast, BBC Personalities in New Campaign

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 04 October 2023, 10:10 pm

Beware, as new deepfake scam videos are circulating on the internet, and they now use YouTube's top content creator, MrBeast, and several BBC personalities. The videos are now engaging people in giveaways and other offers that are too good to be true, with one video having MrBeast offering the public the new iPhones for only $2, something that the content creator does not do.

However, it did not stop there, as it also included other personalities, going as far as to use X owner Elon Musk in another scamming video.

MrBeast, BBC Personalities Used in Deepfake Scam Video

(Photo : Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for MrBeast Burger)

BBC reported that a new round of deepfake videos appeared online, centering on renowned people including Jimmy Donaldson a.k.a. MrBeast, BBC's Matthew Amroliwala and Sally Bullock, and Tesla's Elon Musk appeared in videos.

It was posted on various platforms including Facebook, TikTok, and more. These deepfake videos allegedly contained scams that engaged people into buying massively discounted technology like the new iPhone 15 from Apple, among many others.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed that the company already took down the deepfake videos and claims that they do now allow these kinds of content on the platform.

Moreover, TikTok claimed that it also removed the video after a few hours of its upload, with the account also removed by the company for violating its policies.

Beware of the New Round of Deepfake Scam Videos

Artists, personalities, and other people used as deepfake online also spoke up against this campaign, with Hollywood actor Tom Hanks recently having himself used by anonymous people to promote a dental plan. The deepfake videos may either engage users into joining a giveaway or purchasing discounted items, but it is important to verify these first, be vigilant, especially in the links to click, and never share sensitive information online.

Deepfake and its Hurtful Presence Online

The massive presence of deepfake online is hurtful to the general public, and this is because it has the power and capabilities to make people believe a certain cause or engage them in a scam. In a study, it was found that humans failed to identify a quarter of deepfake speech samples presented to them, showing how fooling and persuading these media are.

Some deepfakes are not looking to scam users in nature, but they still present a danger to users as they make them believe something that is not true, and with the power of AI and technology, they successfully do so. Call it the 'Mandela Effect,' or other phenomena, but another study saw how people believed deepfaked movie remakes that were not produced by legitimate studios and their owners.

Its dangers are astronomical, especially amidst special events in the country, including the upcoming National Elections, as many propagandists and those looking to instill an idea in the general public may be active. Now, it is using the names and likenesses of those who have significant media popularity, including MrBeast, BBC's presenters, Elon Musk, and more to scam the public.