Scammers Are Creating Fake News Videos to Blackmail Victims
Jan 27, 2025 - wired.com
Online romance and sextortion scammers, particularly those associated with the Yahoo Boys in West Africa, have escalated their blackmail tactics by creating realistic-looking fake news videos using AI-generated news anchors. These videos impersonate reputable news organizations like CNN, falsely accusing victims of crimes to pressure them into paying money. The scammers often build relationships with victims to obtain compromising material, such as nude images, before revealing their true intentions and threatening to release the material unless paid. The use of these fake news videos is designed to create urgency and panic, pushing victims to comply with the scammers' demands.
The Yahoo Boys utilize platforms like Telegram to organize, share tutorials, and sell knowledge on creating these deceptive videos. Despite efforts by platforms like Telegram to remove such channels, the scammers continue to adapt and evolve their tactics, using both sophisticated and simple technologies to enhance their scams. The approach has been linked to severe consequences, including suicides, particularly among teenagers targeted in sextortion scams. The scammers' ability to convincingly mimic news broadcasts has made their threats more believable, increasing the pressure on victims to comply.
Key takeaways:
Scammers are using AI-generated news videos to blackmail victims by falsely accusing them of crimes.
These scams are primarily orchestrated by Yahoo Boys, a group of cybercriminals based in West Africa.
Telegram is a key platform for these scammers to organize, share tutorials, and sell knowledge about their scams.
The realistic nature of the fake news videos can cause victims to panic and comply with the scammers' demands.
