Concern 178 · Working draft · editorial review in progress
Deepfake video social engineering
Deepfake video social engineering uses an altered or generated video likeness to persuade someone to trust a false identity.
Understanding the concern
A face on a screen can make a request feel more convincing than text alone. Fraudsters may present a synthetic executive, official, or personal contact in a recording or video conversation. The surrounding story and pressure to act are often as important as visual realism.
This is different from an openly labeled synthetic presenter or authorized digital double. The harm comes from deceptive identity and the action it induces. A video call should not by itself override established approval rules or independent checks.
An example
A supposed manager appears on a call and asks an employee to bypass the usual payment process.
Illustrative unless identified as a documented case.
Words in plain English
- Synthetic
- Made by a computer or another artificial process rather than directly recorded from the event being described.
Evidence and its limits
The advisory covers fraudulent video chats; the copyright-office report supplies broader digital-replica context. Neither means all synthetic likenesses are unlawful.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center · December 2024 · Official public advisory
Criminals Use Generative Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Financial Fraud ↗ (opens in a new tab)Documents fraud uses of generated text, images, voice and video; does not quantify prevalence of each method.
U.S. Copyright Office · July 2024 · Official policy report
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Part 1: Digital Replicas ↗ (opens in a new tab)Examines voice and likeness protections and proposes policy changes. Recommendations must not be described as enacted law.
Broader frameworks and background
These resources provide context. They do not establish every claim in this concern.
A question to discuss
Which actions still require independent authorization even when the requester appears on video?
Keep track of different views, what needs checking, and any next step in your own discussion notes.
Open discussion notes →Principles for the conversation
Before you finish · reflect together
Virtues and principles to consider
Virtues are qualities we practice in how we treat people and make choices. They are not scores for judging someone. Use these ideas to explore what a thoughtful response could look like.
Stewardship
Stewardship means caring for resources and systems that others depend on, including people who will use them later. It looks beyond the benefit of a quick launch.
Plan for maintenance, energy use, data protection, and eventual shutdown. Ask who will look after the tool when the original team moves on and how future users can avoid inheriting hidden costs.
Ask together: What are we responsible for caring for over time?
Prudence
Prudence means using careful judgment before and during action. It balances worthwhile opportunities with the need to avoid harm that could have been anticipated.
Start with a limited trial, set stopping points, and prefer choices that can be undone when uncertainty is high. Review what happens rather than assuming the original plan remains sound.
Ask together: What is a careful next step, and when should we stop or change course?
Accountability
Accountability means being answerable for decisions and taking responsibility for repair. It requires more than saying that the software made the choice.
Name the person or team responsible, keep useful records, and give them authority to correct problems. Make the route to a complaint clear to the people affected.
Ask together: Who will answer for the outcome and help put things right?
Editorial ratings
These are editorial judgments from the register, not measured probabilities or predictions about your situation.
About the register and scoring →More ways to explore
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