Deepfake of Luis Suárez used in fake investment scam targeting Uruguayans
A fraudulent video circulating on social media used deepfaked images and voice of Uruguayan footballer Luis Suárez alongside the logo of state utility UTE to promote a fake investment scheme promising high returns. UTE warned the public not to share personal or financial information after discovering the manipulated content, which was subsequently removed from Instagram.
What happened
A video circulating on social media, including Instagram, used deepfaked images and digitally altered voice of Uruguayan footballer Luis Suárez alongside the logo of state utility company UTE to promote a fake investment scheme.
The fraudulent video claimed an initial investment of 10,400 pesos could yield monthly returns of 175,000 pesos and promised to resolve 'the financial problems of all Uruguayans'. The video also featured images of a US media reporter.
Reported impact
UTE issued a public warning advising customers not to provide personal or financial data to platforms associated with the video and to distrust messages impersonating the company or public figures.
Index analysis
The video was visibly manipulated, with both Suárez's image and voice digitally altered to simulate his endorsement of the investment scheme. The content had been removed from Instagram by the time of reporting.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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