Danish CEOs, including those from Carlsberg and Mærsk, are being impersonated in deepfake videos on Facebook to promote fraudulent investment schemes, prompting warnings from experts and government officials. The videos, which use artificial intelligence to make it appear as if the CEOs are endorsing the schemes, promise high returns and financial freedom.

These deepfake videos are becoming increasingly realistic due to rapid advancements in AI technology. IT security experts warn that the fraud area is usually at the forefront of exploiting AI and is clearly a growing problem.

The videos feature fabricated endorsements from CEOs of major Danish companies like Carlsberg, Novo Nordisk, and Mærsk. The videos falsely claim that these CEOs are offering access to groundbreaking software that can predict the stock market and guarantee substantial daily income.

Digitalisation Minister Caroline Stage has criticized tech giants like Facebook for not adequately addressing the issue, calling their inaction “completely unacceptable”. She intends to hold the platforms accountable for the spread of these scams.

Experts advise caution, urging people to be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true and to ignore them if possible. They also criticize social media platforms for not doing enough to screen ads and remove harmful content promptly.

Carlsberg has reported the videos featuring their CEO to the police and is in communication with the platforms where the videos are found to get them removed. Others who have been misused in these scams include TV hosts, politicians, and economic experts.