Introduction In the digital age, seeing is no longer believing . Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence (AI), criminals now fabricate video, audio, and images so convincingly that even highly intelligent people fall for them. These manipulative fakes—called deepfakes —are fueling a new generation of scams. Businesses, public figures, and everyday people are being targeted by deepfake scams that steal money, damage reputations, and compromise security. Yet many remain unaware of how deepfakes work or how to defend themselves. In this article, you’ll learn: What deepfakes are and how scamsters use them Real-world examples of deepfake fraud Why deepfakes are more dangerous than “ normal” phishing Practical techniques to spot deepfakes Preventive strategies and tools to protect yourself The future of deepfake scams and defenses Let’s dive in. 1. What Are Deepfakes? From Science Fiction to Scams 1.1 Definition & Origins A deepfake is synthetic media —video, audio, ...