NEWS
AI-powered deepfakes of politicians used in rise of investment scams
The research found that deepfake videos are now a central component of these campaigns. The scams rely on a network of fake blogs, review sites and social media channels to distribute misleading content and lure users into investing money in fraudulent schemes.
The investigation began after a sponsored YouTube video was discovered that featured a deepfake of Geert Wilders, a well-known Dutch politician.
Key findings from the investigation reveal a coordinated effort behind these global campaigns:
Group-IB have exposed an AI-trading scam using deepfakes of Dutch politician Geert Wilders as part of a misinformation campaign to attract victims to an investment scam.
According to an investigation, fraudsters are using AI-generated videos of public figures to falsely endorse fake trading platforms, creating a false sense of legitimacy and trust.
• Deepfakes are central: AI-generated visuals and voices of public figures, like politicians, are used to falsely promote fraudulent trading platforms and build trust with potential victims.
• Fake reviews and blogs: Scam operations create fake blogs and review sites on platforms such as Medium and Blogspot to manufacture a false sense of legitimacy.
• Targeted content: Websites use scripts to localise content based on a user’ s IP address and language, making the scam feel more trustworthy and region-specific.
• Coordinated infrastructure: A small number of registrants are linked to dozens of malicious domains, indicating a highly organised infrastructure behind the fraud.
AVAIO Digital breaks ground on major AI-ready hub in Madrid
AVAIO Digital has announced a significant development milestone for its new data centre campus in Algete, Madrid.
The € 650 million project, known as the Algete Data Hub, is now fully entitled and has secured power, positioning it as a new AI-ready facility in one of Europe’ s fastestgrowing digital corridors. The first phase, a hyperscale data centre named AVAIO Digital Scorpio, is designed to be flexible, supporting both conventional cloud computing and highdensity AI workloads. The facility has secured 56.3 MW of clean energy from Spain’ s leading power company, Iberdrola, with an initial 8 MW to be delivered by 2028.
The project is expected to create over 500 construction jobs and around 50 permanent on-site positions, contributing to Spain’ s expanding technology sector. The Algete location provides low-latency connectivity to Madrid’ s existing data centre clusters and the national fibre network, as well as international markets via subsea cables. The new facility will also incorporate sustainable design principles, including rainwater capture, rooftop solar panels, and a water-efficient air-cooling system. AVAIO
Digital noted that the project involves the environmentally-friendly redevelopment of a former industrial site, helping to cement Algete’ s position as an emerging data centre hub.
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