Deepfake video of Turkish President used to defraud man of 2.5 million lira
A Turkish man was defrauded of 2.5 million lira after encountering an AI-generated deepfake video of President Erdoğan promoting an investment on social media. Scammers followed up with false promises of financial recovery, extracting additional payments over time.
What happened
İrfan Sezgin, 56, encountered an AI-generated deepfake video on social media depicting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan promoting an investment opportunity, complete with mimicked voice and appearance.
Sezgin clicked a link in the video, shared personal information, and sent an initial sum of money. Scammers then contacted him claiming to represent BAYKAR and Turkish Petroleum, promising to recover his lost funds if he sent additional payments.
Reported impact
Sezgin lost a total of approximately 2.5 million lira across multiple payments made over time as he pursued the false promise of financial recovery.
Sezgin stated that the fraud caused severe personal and family consequences: his wife has bilateral leg prosthetics limiting mobility, they lost savings intended to purchase a car and improve their situation, and family members including his children distanced themselves from him due to the incident.
Index analysis
The incident demonstrates how deepfake technology can be weaponized in coordinated fraud schemes, with scammers impersonating legitimate companies and government figures to establish credibility.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.