The Singapore Police Force has warned the public about a new scam in which fraudsters used deepfake AI technology to impersonate senior government officials. As a result, one victim transferred at least SGD 4.9 million to the scammers.
According to the police, the scammers contacted the victim via WhatsApp, claiming that they had been invited to a private online meeting with the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, and other senior government officials.
To make the scheme appear legitimate, the fraudsters sent a fake Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and a forged official letter, before arranging a Zoom meeting in which the participants were generated using deepfake AI technology.
The victim was then persuaded to transfer money to what was presented as a corporate bank account. Over several transactions, the victim transferred the requested amount to the scammers.
Police later determined that the messages, documents, and video conference were all part of a carefully orchestrated fraud scheme. They also released examples of the fake messages, fraudulent profiles, and documents used by the scammers.
The Singapore Police Force reminds the public that AI-generated voices and videos should not be treated as proof of a person's identity. Anyone receiving requests to transfer money or disclose sensitive information should always verify the sender's identity through an independent official communication channel.
