Deepfake video impersonates Greek central bank governor in investment scam
Deepfake videos using AI technology impersonated the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Giannis Stournara, on social media to promote fraudulent investment schemes promising high returns. The Bank of Greece publicly warned citizens that the content was artificially created and urged them to avoid the scams and report suspicious communications to authorities.
What happened
Social media posts containing AI-generated deepfake video showed Bank of Greece Governor Giannis Stournara discussing an online investment platform and promising high returns with minimal investment.
The Bank of Greece confirmed in an announcement that the content was created with AI tools and featured the illegitimate use of the bank's official logo to appear credible.
Reported impact
The Bank of Greece warned citizens to avoid contact with such proposals, not to send money, and not to share banking details or card information with anyone claiming to represent the bank.
Index analysis
The deepfake video mimicked the appearance and voice of the bank governor in what appeared to be interviews or conversations with journalists, a technique designed to increase the apparent credibility of investment fraud offers.
Governance controls
The Bank of Greece issued public guidance instructing citizens to verify the authenticity of messages, check that official email addresses end in '@bankofgreece.gr', and avoid money transfers to unverified recipients.
The bank advised the public to be suspicious of loan or investment proposals with unusually favourable terms and to report suspicious messages or emails to relevant authorities.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.