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- HSBC Thwarts High-Tech Deepfake CEO Attack 🌆
HSBC Thwarts High-Tech Deepfake CEO Attack 🌆
Frank McKenna
April 08, 2025
Hi Fraud Fighters,
After spending a week traveling between Toronto and Charlotte, I met hundreds of fraud fighters face to face, and I am telling you the fraud fighting industry is booming: đź’Ş
We are in good hands is all I can tell you.
Let’s check out the top stories this week
This Week’s Top Fraud Snippets
CIFAS Fraud Report- Want to see a ton of stats on the state of fraud in the UK? CIFAS just released their comprehensive fraud report for 2025 citing “staggering levels of Identity Fraud” which accounts for 60% of all fraud in the region. Download It
8X Higher - A new shocking report in the UK claims that APP fraud is a staggering 8 times higher than banks have been reporting. It’s not 300 million; it’s closer to 3 billion. Read More
Payroll Fraud! - A massive 43 million record data breach of payday loans last week is exposing information that could be used for extensive payroll fraud schemes and scams. Read More
iPhone Scam Farm - Catalyst, a research group goes deep into the iPhone farms selling phishing as a service in China and sending over 100,000 iMessages each to Americans. Read More
Digital Arrest Spiking - Canadian authorities are warning about a spike in Digital Arrest impersonation scams that terrorize victims into thinking they are involved in an investigation. Read More
Viral Receipts! - The most viral fraud trend of the week was everyone posting AI-generated fraudulent receipts that all looked exactly the same. I think most people are starting to realize how bad AI is going to be for fraud. Read More
He Has No Shame- Billy MacFarland Fyre Fest had another major disaster this week with Mexico again denying its happening, the scam continues. Read More
$6 Billion For Nuclear Weapons - Kim Jung Un’s strategy of using fraud and hacking has funneled over $6 billion into his nuclear weapon program in the last decade. Read More
AI Startup Goes Offline - GenNomis, the AI company that created the app “Nudify” deleted their website and went offline as tens and thousands of unsecured explicit images of celebrities, politicians, random women, and children were found. Read More
Baltimore BEC Attack - Baltimore can’t catch a break. Several years ago, they were the victim of a BEC attack, but they failed to make security improvements. Now, in February, they hit with two more attacks, one of which was successful. Read More
Fraud Fight Club: Together We Will Never Be Defeated
It’s hard to put into words how great Fraud Fight Club was. Maybe Bradley Haacke put it best. When I asked him what he thought of the conference, he said, “I felt like I belonged”.
You see, Fraud Fight Club was more about the people than the booths or sessions. Those were amazing, but the real magic was about finding your family and feeling like you were part of the strongest army in the world.
HSBC Thwarts Deepfake CEO BEC Attack in Singapore
A multinational corporation may have dodged a bullet thanks to the fast-acting fraud department at HSBC in Singapore.
Last week, another massive CEO AI Deepfake Zoom call occurred, but this time with a twist you should know about—the scammers made the victim sign an NDA. That is clever, right? Because of that,, he felt he could not divulge the calls or the “secret” important project he was working on.
FBI Warning: Scams Are Going Back To Snail Mail
Scams are meant to surprise and shock, so some scammers are returning to using physical letters to extort companies. This tactic throws companies off because they won’t be snared by their phishing filters.
The FBI warns that a group called BianLian is mailing physical extortion letters to healthcare executives. The scam demands Bitcoin payments of $150k—$500k within 10 days. The catch? There is no ransomware—the letter is entirely bogus.
The FBI, USPS, and other government agencies have all released warnings as this scam grows.
Bank Contractor Stole Up to $1 Million A Day Working with Fraud Ring
At the height of the pandemic, when fraud rings were raiding the unemployment benefits, Jaysha Victorian took a job as a contractor with a bank and started loading fraudulent funds onto prepaid debit cards.
In just 16 days, she helped the fraud ring siphon off close to $8 million before someone realized she wasn’t working—she was just committing massive fraud against the bank.
Killer Or AI Model? A Tale Of Two Scam Jobs
I came across two ads for scam jobs. One offers $1,200 a month to work as a killer but requires 12 hours a day; the other offers attractive people the opportunity to work as models, working 30% less but earning four times more.
No wonder so many people are applying to be AI models at scam centers.
How To Catch People Using AI And Deepfakes During Interviews
Do you ever wonder if you're talking to an AI candidate? A security analyst from Intruder gives an excellent practical guide on how to spot and stop scams in real time.
The suggestions are great 👉️ Have the candidate sweep their webcam across the entire room and background, look for hidden earphones, have them share the full screen instead of just a window so you can identify hidden apps running and have them take the call from a public venue so it can’t be manipulated.
Odometer Fraud? Tesla Accused of Manipulation In Class Action Lawsuit
If you own a Tesla, this could be important. A woman is suing Tesla in a class action lawsuit, saying that Tesla manipulates its odometer readings to avoid honoring warranties. She noticed a strange surge in her mileage, and other Reddit users are reporting the exact same thing.
I have heard of Odometer Fraud, but if true, this could take it to a whole new level!
Netflix's Con Mum” Arrested and Charged With Fraud
Fraud Fighters, have you watched the incredibly sad but riveting story of ConMum on Netflix? It is amazing but very sad.
Well, you might be interested in this. Dionne Hanna, the 80-year-old real-life mom of celebrity UK Chef Graham Hornigold, has been arrested in Singapore and now faces five counts of fraud with three people.
The Panicked Voice Sounded Like Her Daughter. It Wasn’t.
Linda Roan received a panicked call a month ago. “Mom, I’m OK, but something awful has happened,” a young woman sobbed. “I need your help.”
Then a man came on the phone and said her daughter had witnessed a massive drug deal he was engaged in and she screamed causing the buyers of the drugs to flee. Now he had her daughter in his van and he wanted money, fast.
Read a mothers harrowing journey through the latest AI scam - voice clones.
24 Washington DC Police Being Investigated For Loan Fraud
About two dozen DC police are being investigated by internal affairs for their potential involvement in loan fraud.
At least two officers of the force have already pled guilty to obtaining fraudulent business loans while they were working. There are about 24 more that are under investigation but the department is being very hush hush about the matter and not giving out many details.
Forget ChatGPT: Adobe’s AI Tool Is Fraudsters’ Favorite Faker
This week, social media has been flooded with AI images of fake car damage and receipts. But did you know criminals have used Adobe’s Free Generative AI tool to pull off the schemes for the last 18 months?
Musk Says Someone Stole and Is Selling 400,000 SSNs To Siphon Money From SSA
Last week, Elon Musk claimed that someone has stolen 400,000 social security numbers and has been selling them and PII from the SSA for people to siphon money from the system.
"Yes. In fact, I believe someone is going to be arrested tomorrow," Musk said in response to a question about whether U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi would prosecute fraud found within the Social Security system.
Bust A Move. Bizarre Pick Pocket Used His Dance Moves To Steal
Diversion works! Check out how a pickpocket in the UK used dance moves to pickpocket victims.
That’s a wrap for another weekly edition of FrankonFraud.
I hope you have a fantastic week ahead fighting fraud.