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A fraudulent investment scheme used AI-generated deepfake videos to impersonate a Thai PBS World news anchor and the CEO of Miss Universe. The videos, which misused news logos and likenesses, were circulated on Facebook to deceive viewers into investing in a fake financial platform. The incident caused reputational harm to the victims and the news organization, and prompted an investigation by Thai PBS Verify.
A purported deepfake video allegedly used AI-generated visuals and synthetic speech to impersonate Thai PBS World anchor Doliyana Bunnak and Miss Universe Organization CEO Anne Jakkraphong Jakrajutatip, falsely promoting an online investment promising rapid, high returns. The clip was reportedly derived from a June 24 2025 Thai PBS World Tonight broadcast and circulated on Facebook, misusing news logos and likenesses, causing reputational harm and exposing viewers to financial fraud.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
Also classified as
The deepfake video generated and spread false information about a government-certified investment platform to mislead viewers.
The deepfake video was created by malicious actors to impersonate public figures and run a fraudulent investment scam to deceive victims for financial gain.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed
The incident was caused by malicious human actors who intentionally created and deployed deepfake videos to execute a financial scam.
Added categories peak at 2: Minor (Epistemic Harm, Direct)
Malicious actors used AI-generated deepfakes of a Thai news anchor and a prominent CEO to execute a fraudulent investment scheme on Facebook. While causing reputational harm and highlighting the challenges of synthetic media verification, the incident remains a localized criminal fraud case with minor national security implications.
The AI system was used as a tool by malicious actors to generate synthetic video and voice clones based on direct inputs, without exhibiting autonomous planning or goal-directed agency.
Limited Risk: The report describes AI-generated deepfakes, which are subject to specific transparency obligations under the EU AI Act to ensure users are informed of their synthetic nature.
The AI system was primarily used to generate a deepfake video and clone the voices of the news anchor and the CEO to make the scam appear authentic.
The report from Thai PBS Verify is highly detailed, providing specific context about the deepfake, the original source videos, the platforms used, the views, and direct quotes from the affected anchor. The facts are clear and verified by experts.
None
Technology
Advanced AI Deepfake Tech
Highly realistic synthesis of voice and facial movements fooled viewers.
Imperfect Lip Sync Generation
Visual artifacts like blurry mouths and unsynced audio revealed the fake.
Data Inputs
Unauthorized Media Scraping
Original broadcast clips were scraped to train or drive the deepfake model.
Misuse of Personal Identity Data
Anchor's face and voice were used without consent to create fraud videos.
Human Factors
Viewer Credibility Misjudgment
Viewers might believe fake news reports due to realistic anchor appearance.
Targeting Vulnerable Groups
Scammers targeted students and general public with high-return promises.
Process and Methods
Flawed Social Media Ad Vetting
Facebook allowed paid distribution of deepfake scam ads without verification.
Slow Law Enforcement Action
Police reports filed by victims showed no progress, allowing scams to persist.
Management
Platform Growth Over Safety
Ad monetization prioritized over rigorous safety checks for sponsored content.
Lack of Corporate Risk Mitigation
Thai PBS faces ongoing reputational damage without active platform protection.
Regulatory Environment
Inadequate Law Enforcement
Despite Computer Crimes Act and PDPA, enforcement against deepfakes is slow.
AI system involved
An AI system was involved, but the reports do not identify it.
Identified by automated extraction; can differ from the alleged developers above.
