Sri Lanka Police have warned the public that criminals are using artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake videos and voice recordings of real people in order to steal money and personal information.
The police said the warning follows a message from INTERPOL, the international police organisation, which has highlighted the growing use of AI technology in fraud schemes. In these schemes, criminals produce convincing fake videos and voice recordings that impersonate real individuals.
According to the police, scammers can build such “deepfake” content from photographs or short voice recordings that people have posted on social media. The fabricated identities imitate family members, friends and other trusted people.
The police said victims may then be pressed to transfer money, hand over banking details or reveal other confidential information.
The public has been urged to be careful with unexpected calls, messages or video calls from people who say they are relatives, friends or trusted contacts and who suddenly ask for money or sensitive details.
Anyone who receives such a request should confirm the identity of the sender through a separate, trusted channel before taking any action, the police said. People should not share banking credentials, passwords, verification codes or other confidential details in reply to suspicious communications.
The police also advised caution when viewing or responding to unfamiliar digital content, because AI-generated audio and video can look and sound increasingly realistic.
Background
A deepfake is audio, video or an image that has been generated or altered by AI software so that it appears to show a real person saying or doing something they did not. Tools able to copy a voice from a short recording have become widely available in recent years, and fraud investigators in several countries have reported scams that use them.
A common pattern is the “family emergency” call, in which a caller who sounds like a relative says they are in trouble and need money quickly. The urgency is designed to stop the victim from checking the story.
Sri Lanka Police and the banking sector have previously issued warnings about other forms of online fraud, including messages that ask for one-time passwords (OTPs) and fake links that imitate bank websites.
What it means
For households in Sri Lanka, the advice means that a familiar voice or face on a call is no longer proof of who is speaking. Families may wish to agree a simple way to confirm each other’s identity, such as calling back on a number they already know, before sending money.
The warning also applies to Sri Lankans working or studying abroad, who often send and receive money by phone and are in regular video contact with relatives at home. Photographs and voice clips shared publicly on social media can be copied, so limiting what is posted openly may reduce the risk.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted can report the matter to the police and to their bank without delay.
