Deepfake voices seem like a nightmare for diplomatic calls

In a sophisticated financial fraud case, a worker at a multinational firm was tricked into transferring $25.6 million (HK$200 million) to accounts controlled by scammers. The incident highlights the growing threat of deepfake technology being used to bypass traditional verification methods in corporate environments.

What happened

The incident began when a finance employee received a message purportedly from the company’s UK-based chief financial officer regarding a secret transaction. Although the employee initially suspected a phishing attempt, their concerns were dismissed after joining a video conference call. During this meeting, the employee observed several individuals they recognized as colleagues. According to Hong Kong police, every other participant in the video call was a deepfake recreation, utilizing technology to mimic the appearance and voices of the company's staff.

Believing the participants were genuine, the employee proceeded with the requested transfers. The fraud was only uncovered later when the employee verified the transaction with the firm's head office. Hong Kong police have since noted that this case is part of a broader trend involving the use of deepfake technology to bypass facial recognition and deceive victims. Authorities reported that in separate instances, AI deepfakes were used to trick facial recognition programs by imitating individuals on stolen identity cards to open bank accounts and secure loans.