Brazilian police have arrested four people from a group accused of posting fake advertisements on social media featuring celebrities generated using deepfake technology. The amount obtained from this scheme could have reached $37.8 million.
Fraud scheme
The scammers posted advertisements on social media using deepfake images of model Gisele Bündchen and TV presenters Angélica Huck, Juliette, Maísa, and Sabrina Sato, among others.
In one of these videos, model Gisele Bündchen allegedly advertises a promotion offering free suitcases. To receive the goods, victims only had to pay for delivery. Interested parties were directed to a website where payments were made. After payment, people did not receive the goods. The money was transferred to fake accounts.
“Due to the relatively small amounts, usually between $3.6 and $16, many people “accepted the loss” and did not report it to the police. This created a situation in which the criminals gained a kind of “immunity”. They knew that most people would not complain and could act on a massive scale,” said police delegate, Isadora Galian.
Course of operation
The investigation began in August 2024 after one of the victims reported being deceived by an advertisement on Instagram in which Bündchen promoted a skin care product.
The suspects were identified through fake profiles they used to post advertisements. Despite using VPNs, their real profiles were exposed.
“The suspects’ social media accounts were a showcase of luxury items, including cars such as Porsche Cayenne S, Range Rover Velar, BMW 430i, and BMW motorcycles. One of them mocked a victim who lost $144, saying that she ‘invested $36, lost it, and then invested another $108”, said delegate, Isadora Galian.
On 1 October, Brazilian police launched an operation based on 26 court orders. Nine search and seizure warrants, seven preventive arrest warrants, and the confiscation and freezing of 10 vehicles, 21 assets, investments, or accounts, including bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, in five states. Four people have been detained, and measures are being taken to arrest the rest.
- More details on Google News
