How Deepfake Scams Are Skyrocketing to Target Social Media Users
The internet is full of enticing promises, from schemes that claim to make users rich quickly, to dating apps that promise to find perfect partners with just a few clicks, and offers for dream holidays at unbeatable prices. However, these opportunities come with the risk of being scammed. As deepfake technology becomes more advanced, the amount of money lost to online scams is increasing rapidly.
A recent study by cybersecurity company SurfShark reveals that deepfake-related scams and fraud schemes tricked people out of approximately $1.1 billion (€930 million) worldwide in 2025. This is three times higher than the roughly €304 million lost to such scams in 2024.
More than 80% of these losses occurred on social media platforms, with Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram being the most targeted. The most profitable deepfake scams used video and audio elements to impersonate well-known individuals, ranging from celebrities to business and financial leaders, in an attempt to promote fraudulent investments.
In 2025, European politicians were not immune to these schemes. For example, a deepfake video altered a speech made by Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki to make it seem like he was promoting a fraudulent investment platform. In another incident, a deepfake video spread during the summer, showing Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz urging the public to sign up for an investment platform, which led consumer rights organizations to raise alarms about the fake video.
Romance fraud, where scammers use realistic videos and audio to build fake romantic relationships with victims, is also on the rise. Once they convince their victims that they are in a genuine relationship, scammers typically ask for money to cover supposedly urgent medical procedures. They also trick their victims into investing in fraudulent schemes.
In France, one woman’s story went viral in early 2025 after she revealed that she had been conned into falling in love with a man she believed to be Brad Pitt. In reality, she was deceived by a sophisticated scamming ring that convinced her that the Hollywood star was gravely ill and needed money for medical procedures, leading her to hand over more than €800,000.
While romance scammers operate globally, there are regional hubs in West Africa, particularly Nigeria and Ghana, as well as in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Myanmar, and the Philippines.
Although romance scam losses are generally smaller compared to those from investment scams, highly targeted attacks can cause serious psychological damage to victims. These incidents highlight the growing threat of deepfakes and the need for increased awareness and protection against online scams.
