Hong Kong warns of AI-generated scams after city leader John Lee appears to back investment plan in fake video
- Fake video where Chief Executive John Lee appears to back investment plan condemned by government and referred to police for investigation
- Public warned not to be taken in and never to give personal information, sign up for mobile apps or click on links unless they are sure of the source
The video seemed to feature Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu endorsing the scheme – but it was on Tuesday denounced as bogus by the government.
Officials said the video was a work of fiction created with fraudulent intent, and condemned the people responsible for their attempt to cheat the public using Lee’s name and image.
“Members of the public should not be taken in by similar investment-related advertisements or promotional videos,” a spokesman said.
“They should not provide their personal information online, sign up for mobile applications or open any links.”
He added people should also remain vigilant and take steps to verify the authenticity of any promotions.
The Chief Executive’s Office issued a similar warning in September 2022 after Lee’s image and fabricated quotes were used in a bid to lure people to a suspicious online trading platform.
The platform also carried what was claimed to be an interview with Lee where he praised a cryptocurrency trading system and included a link to the platform.
Hong Kong police warned the public last July that the force had already received reports of scammers who had used AI-generated material to try and cheat the public.
Hong Kong police foil transfer of HK$1.1 billion to scammers in first 10 months
One man lost HK$1,700 (US$218) worth of computer game credits after he was tricked by a fake video interview that featured the cloned voice of a bank chief executive.
Another incident involved a man who was threatened with a video where his face was superimposed on explicit content.
The man, however, dismissed the extortion attempt and reported the incident to police.
