Deepfakes hit TikTok: Celebrities used to trick viewers

AI-generated videos of famous singers like Taylor Swift and Rihanna are popping up on TikTok, but they’re not real. Scammers are behind these clips, using fake celebrity voices and faces to push sketchy offers. Most of these ads pretend to be interviews or red carpet events, but the real goal is to steal personal details. Many of these fake ads look like real TikTok promotions at first glance. They promise easy money—just watch videos and give feedback. But after clicking, users land on sketchy third-party sites that ask for banking info or passwords. One ad even used a lifelike AI version of Swift pushing a service called TikTok Pay. Another showed a deepfake Rihanna saying, “You just watch content and share your thoughts. ”This isn’t just a TikTok problem. Other platforms like Instagram and Facebook are drowning in fake celebrity ads too. Reports say billions of these scams show up daily on Meta’s apps alone. Even YouTube admits it’s spending big to fight these deepfakes. The tech giants keep playing catch-up as scammers get smarter with AI tricks. Celebrities aren’t just ignoring the issue. Swift recently filed new trademark claims to block AI clones of her voice and image. It’s a legal move to fight back against the growing trend of AI impersonations. But will it be enough?