Deepfakes and Unkept Promises lead to Financial Fraud on Social Media, targeting the General Public

This report details a large-scale fraudulent campaign (mid-2025) using deepfake videos and impersonation of influencers and public figures to advertise guaranteed high-return investment schemes on Facebook and Instagram, directing victims via redirect links to Telegram channels to extort upfront payments; investigators found over 120 active ads across ~20 Facebook accounts, associated domains and Telegram channels, multiple victim complaints, and recommend awareness and legal/takedown actions.