BBC presenter Naga Munchetty targeted by AI deepfake nude images scam

What happened

Fake nude images of BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty were circulated online as part of a scam to defraud users. The images were described as crudely photoshopped pictures of her face onto someone else's body.

Fake advertisements featuring the deepfake images directed users to counterfeit BBC News articles claiming Munchetty had been detained by the government following a controversial interview, and offered links to a fake cyber trading website. The fake articles contained BBC logos and branding to appear authentic.

Reported impact

Munchetty said she was left feeling "mortified" and bemused after friends and followers alerted her to the fake images and scam advertisements. The BBC's legal team were able to get the scam website and some advertisements removed, though Munchetty was warned that another website would likely appear soon.

Munchetty noted that other celebrities including Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis and wildlife presenter Chris Packham had also been targeted in similar scams.

Index analysis

The scammers exploited Munchetty's public profile and the recognisability of the BBC brand to create convincing fake content designed to deceive people into clicking on fraudulent trading websites.

Governance controls

The BBC's legal team took action to remove the scam content and the fraudulent website after being alerted by Munchetty's production team, relying on copyright laws. Munchetty reported difficulty in getting advertisements removed from X (formerly Twitter) since its change in ownership.

Classification

Organizations

BBC (deployer), Naga Munchetty (victim)

Category

Fraud, scams and manipulation

Industry

Media, social platforms and marketing

Country

United Kingdom

Harm status

Actual harm

Intent

Intentional

Timing

Unknown

Harm types

Economic or property, Reputational, Psychological

Harmed

General public, Consumers

Failure modes

Deepfake image, Manipulation or dark pattern

Consequences

Content removal

AI systems

Deepfake image generation technology

Sources and evidence

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