​Sebastian Burduja, Minister of Energy, filed a criminal case on Monday with the Prosecutor’s Office at the High Court of Cassation and Justice for an attempt at a deep fake, with which they are trying to mislead citizens with the non-existent investment scheme of the company ENEL. In particular, a fake video was published on social media in which the Minister of Energy encourages citizens to invest in this bogus scheme in order to make a profit. The images seem to be real, but upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the minister’s voice is slightly distorted, and his facial movements look unnatural.

What does the fraudulent scheme with the minister and the energy company look like

This type of fraud is not new, but to be more credible, those who did the deepfake involved the Minister of Energy, guaranteeing the fake investment on behalf of the Government.

“Each investor will be able to receive an incredible amount of 9,000 lei per month thanks to Enel’s innovative investment platform. Enel is an international company engaged in the production of electricity. Invest a minimum of 1200 lei and receive a monthly income. Security Your investments are guaranteed by the Government. The first participants have already secured a new house and a car. Change your life right now. Fill out the application form on the official website and become part of a successful project,” the minister is presented in a deepfake image.

On January 19, 2024, a fake Facebook page called “HTPPY” posted a deep fake video in which I falsely advertise a non-existent ENEL investment scheme. The video fraudulently used my image and voice to convince the public to invest in a fictitious platform, the press release said.

Sebastien Bourduilla: No serious company asks for payment for links posted on social networks

Deepfake technology, which uses artificial intelligence to create fake content, is a growing threat to our constitutional democracy through the spread of misinformation.

In the energy sector, when a share sale or bond issue is announced, it is always done through formal and secure channels, such as a stock exchange or other recognized financial institutions, Burduja said.

He also made it clear that no serious company would ask for payments through unsecured electronic channels or through links posted in comments on social media posts. These methods are often used by criminals to defraud and illegally obtain funds from unknown persons. It is therefore important that all citizens always check the authenticity and legality of any investment or financial transfer request.

What is a deepfake?

Deepfake is artificially faked content, i.e. video or audio recordings that look and sound like they’re real, but actually aren’t.

Many times deepfake technology can be used to get money fraudulently. For example, in 2019, a director of a British energy company was persuaded to send €200,000 to a supplier in Hungary because he believed his boss had told him to do so.

Even the mayors of several European capitals fell on the hook of the deepfake. In 2022, they conducted a video call with their alleged colleague in Kyiv, only the interlocutor was not Vitaliy Klitschko, although he looks like him. Those who were deceived are the mayors of Berlin, Madrid and Vienna.