AI-generated Westpac boss used in scam ads on Facebook
Summary
A Westpac chief executive, Catherine McGrath, became the subject of an AI-generated deepfake image circulating on Facebook, falsely depicting her in a confrontational scene with a New Zealand political leader. The image was used in scam advertisements that directed users to a fraudulent investment platform. Westpac reported the issue to Meta through multiple channels but received no confirmation of action until the Financial Markets Authority may have intervened. The scam had previously targeted a Taranaki grandmother who lost $224,000 after being deceived by a deepfake video of a political figure promoting cryptocurrency. The incident highlights the ongoing challenge of removing and preventing scam ads on social media platforms.
Sources
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