How to spot deepfakes

What is a deepfake?

A deepfake is fake media made with AI. It might be a video of a famous person saying something they never said, a photo of an event that never happened, or a phone call in a voice that sounds exactly like someone you know.

The name comes from "deep learning", a type of AI, plus "fake". The AI studies real photos, videos or voice clips of a person and learns to copy how they look and sound. A short clip of someone's voice, such as from a social media video, can be enough to make a convincing copy.

Not every deepfake is harmful. Films use the same technology for special effects. The problem is when it is used to deceive people.

How deepfakes are used against people

• Family emergency calls. A voice that sounds like your child or grandchild says they are in trouble and need money urgently.
• Boss or colleague requests. A video call or voice note from "your manager" asks you to make a payment or share a file.
• Celebrity endorsements. A well-known person appears to recommend an investment, a miracle product or a giveaway.
• False news. Fake images of disasters, politicians or events spread quickly on social media.
• Harassment. Fake images of real people made to embarrass or threaten them. This is abuse, and in many countries it is a crime that can be reported.

Clues to look and listen for

These clues can help, but be honest with yourself: the best fakes show none of them. Use them as warning signs, not as proof that something is real.

In videos and photos:

• Lips that do not quite match the words.
• Strange blinking, a fixed stare, or a face that looks too smooth, like a mask.
• Blurry or flickering edges around the hair, ears, glasses or jaw, especially when the head turns.
• Hands with odd fingers, jewellery that changes, or text in the background that is jumbled.
• Lighting on the face that does not match the room.

In voices:

• A flat or slightly robotic tone, odd pauses, or breathing that sounds wrong.
• The person avoids answering personal questions or keeps steering back to money.
• Background noise that cuts in and out unnaturally.

The habits that really protect you

Because fakes keep improving, your best defence is not your eyes, it is your process. Think of it like a doorman who checks every visitor, however smart they look.

1. Pause when there is pressure. Scammers create panic so you act before thinking. A real emergency can wait two minutes while you check.
2. Hang up and call back on a number you already have saved, not one given in the call or message.
3. Agree a family safe word. Choose a word only your close family knows. If someone calls claiming to be a relative in trouble, ask for it.
4. Check the source. For news, see whether trusted news organisations are reporting the same thing. For celebrity offers, look on the person's official channels.
5. Never pay by gift cards, cryptocurrency or bank transfer because of a call or video alone.

Tip: At work, agree a rule that no payment or bank detail change is approved from a call, voice note or video alone. It must be confirmed another way.

If you think you have seen or received one

• Do not share it, even to warn others. Sharing spreads it further.
• Report it on the platform using the report button.
• If you lost money, contact your bank straight away, then report it to the police or your national fraud reporting service.
• If a fake image of you is being shared, keep evidence (screenshots and links), report it to the platform and to the police, and talk to someone you trust.

For more on spotting tricks in messages, read spotting scam messages.