Deepfake AI used in bank account takeover and payment fraud scams

What happened

Fraudsters use Deepfake AI technology to impersonate state officials, relatives, or acquaintances in video calls with the goal of collecting facial biometric data and personal information.

During video calls, scammers direct victims to perform facial movements by looking in different directions while recording the video. They also request personal details such as identity card numbers, phone numbers, and addresses.

Scammers use the collected facial biometric data and personal information to open online accounts (eKYC) at financial institutions and banks, which are then used for fraudulent purposes.

Reported impact

Vietnamese banks recently issued warnings to customers about the new fraud method as they deployed facial biometric authentication systems.

The scams target bank account holders and online payment users, with potential for financial loss through fraudulent account usage.

Index analysis

Signs of Deepfake-based impersonation calls include poor audio and video quality, intermittent signals, and short duration. Scammers often cite network issues as a reason to end video calls abruptly.

Another identifying feature is that responses from the impersonator do not directly address questions asked by the victim or lack appropriate context in the conversation.

Governance controls

Vietnamese banks and the Bank Card Association have issued public warnings and alerts to customers about these fraud methods.

Security experts recommend users remain vigilant when receiving video calls from officials or acquaintances and verify requests through independent contact channels.

Classification

Organizations

Vietnamese banks (victim), Chi Hội thẻ Ngân hàng (Hiệp hội Ngân hàng Việt Nam), Trung tâm tư vấn và Đào tạo An ninh mạng ATHENA

Category

Fraud, scams and manipulation

Industry

Travel, leisure and hospitality

Country

Vietnam

Harm status

Actual harm

Intent

Intentional

Timing

Unknown

Harm types

Economic or property

Harmed

Consumers, Business

Failure modes

Deepfake video, Voice clone, Manipulation or dark pattern

AI systems

Deepfake AI technology

Sources and evidence