Africa-Press – South-Africa. Fraudsters are using fake AI-generated images and articles using high-profile people, including Cyril Ramaphosa, Lesetja Kganyago, and Alec Hogg, to scam people.
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) released a statement warning South Africans about the fabricated articles and images.
“We are aware of fabricated articles falsely claiming that Governor Lesetja Kganyago was involved in televised confrontations with media personalities,” it said.
In this case, Kganyago was shown to have a confrontation with the well-known media personalities Tim Modise and Bruce Whitfield.
“The articles use artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images, fabricated quotes, as well as fake testimonials about an AI trading system,” it said.
These images, testimonials, and articles are used to lure people into fraudulent investment schemes.
“The public is warned against putting their money in unverified investment schemes promising extreme returns,” the Reserve Bank said.
It urged people to protect themselves and others by being sceptical of sensational stories and verifying the information with trusted sources.
In a similar case, Biznews founder Alec Hogg was shown to be in a confrontation with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Similar to the SA Reserve Bank Governor, the fraudsters used fake images and articles to lure people into clicking on a scam website.
A fake website that mimics the SABC News layout, fonts, and logos to gain legitimacy and fool people into believing the information is authentic.
Users are then funnelled to a registration portal for a system called Capital X, using blinking lights and fake deadlines to create a fear of missing out.
Victims are asked for a minimum deposit of R4,100 to activate an AI trading system which promises big returns.
Once details are entered, victims receive calls from highly persuasive scammers operating out of boiler rooms.
Hogg urged users to always verify the website address. The scam site used ‘kiraovas.pro’ instead of the legitimate ‘sabcnews.com’.
He added that any investment promising ‘instant results’ or an ‘inside track’ to wealth is almost certainly a scam.
Fake images and articles
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