As someone who’s spent countless hours scrolling through social media, I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for these celebrities whose identities are being misused so blatantly. It’s like watching your favorite artist have their masterpiece defaced by a vandal, or finding out your childhood teddy bear has been turned into a knock-off in a foreign market.
Some well-known personalities such as Scarlett Johansson, Taylor Swift, and Johnny Depp frequently have their identities misused in internet fraud schemes.
As a dedicated admirer, I’d like to share some intriguing insights: renowned computer security firm McAfee has unveiled its annual list detailing the top 10 celebrities whose names are frequently targeted by hackers. These cunning cybercriminals aim to mislead unsuspecting fans with fraudulent search results.
Unauthorized images of celebrities are being exploited in deceptive operations offering bogus downloads for movies, songs, or even merchandise endorsed by these stars. Additionally, such fraudulent activities may involve counterfeit deepfake videos featuring the celebrities to trick fans into disclosing their bank details or unknowingly installing malware on their devices, potentially leading to identity theft.
As cybercriminals increasingly employ sophisticated AI technologies to make their scams appear more authentic, the potential dangers are escalating, and famous personalities serve as an enticing lure for inquisitive shoppers,” stated Abhishek Karnik, who heads McAfee’s threat research team. “This is why it’s crucial for people to remain cautious and ponder carefully before clicking on links. Although not all AI-produced content is harmful, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from falsity.
This year, a number of celebrities had their names and images falsely used in online scams, without their consent. The variety of these celebrities is broader than you might think, encompassing everything from older male actors to younger female stars, as well as singers who have a large following among teenagers. Here’s the list of those celebrities and the type of fraud associated with each name.
Scarlett Johansson, famously known as the Black Widow, found her name and image utilized in promotions and endorsements. Johansson has also voiced concerns about unauthorized AI-created content, even threatening legal action against OpenAI for suspected mimicry of her voice.
2. Kylie Jenner: Scammers have exploited the popular personality’s name and image by creating fraudulent social media contests and counterfeit Kylie Cosmetics items, as well as imitation websites.
3. Taylor Swift: Her renowned singer persona has been exploited for various schemes, including celebrity endorsements, ticket frauds, and product hoaxes, along with disseminating false information (such as Donald Trump spreading a fabricated AI video claiming Swift had endorsed him).
4. Anya Taylor-Joy: The Furiosa star’s name and likeness have been used for a giveaway scam, and her Twitter/X account was hacked to spread fake Queen’s Gambit sequel news.
5. Tom Hanks, the recipient of an Oscar, has had his name and image exploited for marketing “alleged miraculous remedies and mysterious pharmaceuticals.
7. As a gaming enthusiast, I recently learned that my favorite artist, Sabrina Carpenter, has unfortunately become the face of some shady activities. Her name and image have been misused in fraudulent ticket scams and to peddle an app designed for creating inappropriate content. It’s disheartening to see someone so talented being exploited like this.
7. Sydney Sweeney: The Anyone But You star’s name and likeness have been used for crypto scams.
8. Blake Lively: The It Ends With Us actress’ name was used in a weight loss gummy scam.
“Johnny Depp”: It’s been discovered that his image has been misused in promotions for giveaways, cryptocurrency schemes, and fundraisers without his consent. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is associated with these unauthorized activities.
As a devoted fan of the “Diet Pepsi” singer, it’s troubling to see her image being misused for false endorsements, fraudulent giveaways, and cryptocurrency schemes without her consent.
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2024-10-08 16:24