Can You Tell When an Investment Pitch Is a Deepfake?

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and investors face a new challenge: seeing is no longer believing.

Artificial intelligence can now create realistic videos, images, and voice recordings that appear authentic but are entirely fake. Known as "deepfakes," these tools are increasingly being used by scammers to promote fraudulent investments. A video may appear to show a well-known investor, financial expert, celebrity or public figure endorsing an opportunity. The voice may sound familiar. The website may look professional.

None of it may be real.

Risk Is on the Rise
The risk is growing. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing $1.1 billion to investment scams that originated on social media in 2025, making investment fraud the costliest category of social media scams.

What makes deepfake scams especially dangerous is that they exploit trust. In the past, investors could rely on what they saw and heard. Today, a convincing video or voice recording can be created with artificial intelligence and used to pressure consumers into making quick financial decisions.

Protect Yourself
Before investing, verify information through independent sources. Research the company and the investment, confirm that any financial professional is properly registered, and be suspicious of promises of guaranteed returns or urgent requests for money.

Remember: a realistic video is not proof an investment is legitimate.