‘I couldn’t stop crying’: Ontario woman loses $83,000 after watching AI deepfake videos

An 86-year-old Sault woman lost $900,00 to an AI-generated deepfake scam featuring PM Mark Carney after clicking a Facebook ad. Pat Foran reports.

An Ontario woman who came across a deepfake video of Prime Minister Mark Carney promoting crypto currency platforms is devastated after she lost $13,000 investing in the platform.

Last year, Deborah Friesen, of Acton, Ont., said she was watching craft videos online when an ad popped up, appearing to be the Canadian prime minister speaking about an investment opportunity.

“It looked exactly like Mark Carney, it was Mark Carney,” she told CTV News.

“He came on and he said he was really trying to help out my Canadians to help them make extra money on this trading platform.”

She was ultimately scammed out of $13,000.

Friesen was later contacted again by someone who called her every day for months.

He didn’t ask for money immediately and he called her and they chatted every day for an hour.

“He had me convinced by then he was legitimate. He talked to me like he was my best friend,” she said.

Friesen took another chance but was scammed again out of another $70,000, losing a total of $83,000 to crypto investment scams.

“He came on WhatsApp and spoke with me, then disappeared,” Friesen said.

“I just fell apart. I couldn’t stop crying.”

CTV News also came across a deepfake video of the prime minister on social media. In the video, an AI-generated Carney promises investors can make money fast with no risk.

“Imagine receiving $35,000 every month without hard work, without risk, without wasting time,” said the deepfake version of the prime minister, adding “two months ago I deposited $350 in my account and today my account is up to $70,000 with no risk.”

CTV News reached out to the prime minister’s office regarding the deepfake videos circulating online.

‘Scams exploit Canadians’ trust’

“The Government of Canada is aware that criminals are increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes and impersonation scams to deceive Canadians, including by falsely depicting public figures to promote fraudulent investment schemes,” the office of the minister for AI, Digital Innovation and Federal Economic Development Agency said in a statement.

“These scams exploit Canadians’ trust and can have devastating financial consequences. While artificial intelligence offers significant benefits, it can also be misused to create increasingly sophisticated frauds, including deepfake videos, voice cloning and fabricated articles.”

They went on to say that their “approach is to encourage the responsible adoption of AI while strengthening protections for Canadians.”

“The government is advancing measures to strengthen online safety, modernize Canada’s privacy framework and support efforts to combat fraud,” it said.

“We have introduced legislation that would give Canadians stronger protections and greater control over their personal information. We also expect online platforms and organizations operating in Canada to use emerging technologies responsibly. Online platforms, financial institutions and law enforcement all have an important role to play in preventing these scams and limiting their spread.”

CTV News recently reported on another senior from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. who lost $900,000 after investing on a platform endorsed by a deepfake version of Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Expert says to not invest on social media

Claudiu Popa, cybersecurity expert and founder of KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation, recommends reaching out to people you trust before making any investment decisions or large purchases.

“Do not ever invest on anything or in any situation that arises out of social media,” said Popa, who is also advising Canadians to have family and friends on speed dial in case they’re contemplating on investing or making large purchases.

“Make sure that in your family you have one, two, or three people you can have on speed dial that you can call them immediately” said Popa, adding that “having a safety net in your own family can help.”

It’s also advised to be cautious of any video seeking money, and understand that with Artificial Intelligence evolving, creating deepfake videos are getting easier and are becoming more realistic.

The minister of AI, Digital Innovation and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario is also advising anyone who believes they may have been targeted by an investment scam to contact their financial institution immediately, report the incident to their local police service and file a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

With Files from CTV News’ Farah Chandani