Scam videos are videos designed to deceive people into giving away money, personal information, or access to accounts. They can appear on social media, messaging apps, video platforms, or websites.
Common types include:
- Fake investment or cryptocurrency opportunities promising guaranteed profits.
- Impersonation videos pretending to be celebrities, government officials, or company representatives.
- Deepfake videos that use AI to make someone appear to say or do things they never did.
- Fake giveaways, lotteries, or prize claims.
- Videos promoting fraudulent products, jobs, or services.
To verify a video:
- Check the source
- Look at who posted it and whether the account is official and verified.
- Be cautious of newly created accounts or accounts with little activity.
- Look for warning signs
- Claims of guaranteed returns, urgent deadlines, or “act now” pressure.
- Requests for payment, passwords, bank details, or one-time security codes.
- Cross-check the information
- Search for the same news or claim from multiple reputable sources.
- If only one obscure source is reporting it, be skeptical.
- Watch for deepfake clues
- Unnatural facial movements.
- Lip movements that don’t match speech.
- Strange blinking, lighting, or voice distortions.
- Verify company or organization details
- Contact the organization directly using official contact information, not details provided in the video.
- Check comments and fact-checks
- Other viewers may have identified the video as misleading or fake.
- Independent fact-checking organizations often investigate viral scam videos.
- Trust your instincts
- If a video sounds too good to be true or tries to create panic or excitement, take extra time to verify it before acting.
Never send money, share personal information, or click links solely because a video tells you to.
