PM Browne Warns Public About AI Deepfake Scams Using Public Officials

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has warned Antiguans and Barbudans to be cautious of online scams using artificial intelligence to impersonate public officials and promote fraudulent investment schemes.

The Prime Minister raised the alarm after sharing an example on social media of what appeared to be a fabricated online advertisement using his image to encourage people to invest money in exchange for unusually high financial returns.

“Beware of online scams which use AI deepfakes of public officials to deceive you,” Browne warned.

The advertisement claimed that “Every Antiguan is entitled to this” and invited residents to request assistance. It also appeared to feature footage bearing the ABS television logo, potentially creating the impression that the promotion was associated with a legitimate local news report.

According to the advertisement, individuals could supposedly earn as much as EC$8,100 per week after making an initial payment of EC$675.

Browne made it clear that the promotion was a scam and urged members of the public not to be deceived by increasingly convincing content generated using artificial intelligence.

AI deepfake technology can be used to manipulate video, images and audio to make it appear as though a person said or endorsed something they never did. Public figures are increasingly being targeted because their familiar faces and voices can lend credibility to fraudulent advertisements.

The technology has made some online scams more difficult to detect at first glance, particularly when advertisements imitate news broadcasts or use the likenesses of government officials, celebrities and other prominent individuals.

Residents are being urged to treat online advertisements promising unusually large or guaranteed financial returns with suspicion and to independently verify any investment opportunity before sending money or providing personal or banking information.

People should also be cautious about clicking links attached to questionable advertisements, even when the promotion appears to feature a familiar public figure or recognised media organisation.

The Prime Minister’s warning comes as scammers increasingly turn to artificial intelligence and other digital tools to make fraudulent schemes appear more convincing.

Browne is urging the public to remain vigilant and remember that seeing or hearing a familiar public official in an online video is no longer, by itself, proof that the content is genuine.