Are social media influencers being cloned into scam ads without their knowledge

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What we can confirm

Multiple cybersecurity reports and news articles document that scammers are using deepfake technologies and cloned influencer profiles to create scam ads and fraudulent campaigns without the influencers’ consent or awareness. These practices include repurposing influencers’ real images and videos, generating AI avatars that mimic their appearance and mannerisms, and setting up impersonation accounts that post scam promotions, all typically done without informing or involving the real creators. This shows that influencers are indeed being cloned or impersonated in scam ads without their knowledge.

Sources

Checked August 2, 2026 · we'll re-check as this develops