Here’s how to protect yourself:
- Verify sources: if you have concerns, call back contacts you know via official numbers that are known to you before taking any action.
- Question any sense of urgency: reputable financial institutions and business partners will never put you under massive time pressure.
- Multichannel confirmation: always verify payment instructions via a second, independent communication channel.
- For more information on how to protect yourself against fraud, visit ubs.com/security.
Financial threats
In the digital finance sector, perpetrators are increasingly using deepfakes to deliberately gain trust and convince victims to conduct financial actions, often with serious consequences.
Examples:
- Fake videos of influencers or bankers: supposedly well-known personalities advertise investments with “guaranteed returns” on social media such as Facebook.
- Manipulated calls or video calls from “managers”: employees receive seemingly genuine phone calls or video calls, with fake voices or manipulated live images, and are instructed to carry out urgent transfers.
Why deepfakes are so dangerous
- They’re deceptively real: even professionals find it difficult to distinguish fake videos or voices from real ones.
- They spread rapidly: deepfakes go viral in seconds via social media and messaging apps.
- They’re extremely convincing: the human brain is particularly inclined to trust images and voices, and criminals exploit this.
How to recognize deepfakes
Even though the technology is improving all the time, there are warning signs:
Technical pointers
- Unnatural facial expressions: facial expressions appear stiff or do not properly match what is being said.
- Non-synchronized lip movements: lip movements do not quite match what is being said.
- Sound and image errors: blurriness, strange reflections or distorted voices.
Context-based pointers
- Unusual contact methods: someone you know suddenly gets in touch via a new channel (e.g. WhatsApp instead of their business phone).
- Inappropriate content: people you know talk about topics that don’t fit the context or put you under pressure.
Important: deepfakes are a serious threat, particularly in the financial sector. Do not blindly trust everything you see or hear. Stay vigilant, critically examine requests and seek a second opinion if you’re in any doubt. If you have serious concerns about something: contact your bank and the police immediately.