SHERIFF CARMINE MARCENO’S SEPTEMBER 2025 FRAUD ALERT: QUESTION EVERYTHING YOU SEE ONLINE
Criminals, many who live on the other side of our planet, are coming for us.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is having a significant impact and basically upping the scam or con game for these people.
So, how do we sift through the fake madness when celebrity and business impersonation scams are bigger than ever? Right now, deep fakes and voice cloning makes it easier and cheaper for criminals to deceive us. That means we must question and research everything before taking action.
These schemes target us, along with corporations, using social media, email, and video calls to manipulate and defraud.
Fraudsters exploit the trust and fame of public figures to ensnare us, the unsuspecting fans, with AI making the deceptions more convincing than ever.
You’ve likely see fake endorsements. Scammers create AI-generated video and audio of celebrities promoting products that either don’t exist or have no real connection to the star. Shark Tank, anyone? For example, fake video ads featuring a deep faked Jennifer Lopez or Kelly Clarkson have been used to peddle fraudulent products like skincare and keto gummies.
Other scams have to do with cryptocurrency. Impersonators lure victims into fake investment opportunities, claiming a celebrity or other public figure is involved. These scams are often multi-layered and involve promises of high returns, convincing victims to invest more and more money.
Finally, for the sake of brevity in this article, beware of social media profiles, in which fake accounts are used to build trust and offer exclusive deals or access to merchandise. Scammers use the stolen likeness to contact victims, like you, to draw us into romance scams or other financially damaging cons.
Protect yourself and others. Talk with your loved ones, especially our older family members and friends, about this important topic.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office offers more than a dozen free crime prevention programs, discussing best practices for safety and security. To schedule one for your community, business, organization or house of worship, please call (239) 477-1CRU (1278) or email us at CRU@sheriffleefl.org.