Miaoli County Mayor's Image Used in AI-Generated Deepfake Tea Scam
AI-generated deepfake video impersonating Miaoli County Mayor 鍾東錦 was posted on Facebook to promote fake health products claiming to reduce hypertension and blood sugar. The video featured fabricated lip-sync and audio from a fake account linked to an overseas phone number, prompting residents to inquire about purchasing the product before police investigated and requested its removal.
What happened
A video circulating online appeared to show Miaoli County Mayor 鍾東錦 (Zhong Dongjin) recommending health products claimed to improve hypertension, blood sugar, or blood pressure. The video was posted on Facebook by a recently created account linked to an overseas phone number, with mismatched lip movements and audio.
Reported impact
Residents received calls from friends and family attempting to purchase the advertised 'Miaoli High Mountain Pomelo Tea' (苗栗高山油柑茶) after viewing the deepfake video. The fraudulent advertisement falsely attributed the product to Miaoli Agricultural Improvement Station.
Index analysis
Miaoli County Mayor confirmed the video was not authorized and was entirely fabricated using AI technology. Miaoli County Police determined the account was fake based on the inconsistent lip-sync and audio, and the video was created using AI techniques designed to deceive viewers into believing a public official was endorsing a product.
Governance controls
Miaoli County Police reported the false account to Facebook and requested urgent removal of the fraudulent content. Police advised the public not to trust videos from unknown sources, not to click suspicious links, and to call the 165 anti-fraud hotline for verification.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.