Deepfake video of ex-Finance Minister Marić used in investment scam
Croatian police warned of a deepfake video on social media purporting to show ex-Finance Minister Zdravko Marić soliciting investment in a mobile application. Police confirmed the video was created using AI technology as part of an apparent fraud scheme and urged citizens not to invest through suspicious links or applications.
What happened
A manipulated video appeared on social media showing former Finance Minister and former Deputy Prime Minister Zdravko Marić calling citizens to invest money through a mobile application with promises of quick and substantial earnings.
Police stated the video was generated or altered using artificial intelligence technology to deceive citizens and encourage investment in fraudulent projects.
Reported impact
Police warned all citizens to be careful not to invest any funds through applications, links or calls from suspicious sources, particularly those accompanied by sensational promises of quick and easy earnings.
Police indicated this appeared to be preparatory actions for the commission of fraud and requested citizens report similar content immediately to police or the National CERT.
Index analysis
Police confirmed that former Minister Zdravko Marić is not connected to the video and did not make any statement of that content.
Governance controls
Police called on citizens to report the content or similar content immediately to police or the National CERT, and directed victims who had already made payments to report such cases to their local police station.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.