Fake WhatsApp, deepfakes and more: How a top CEO was targeted by scamsters

WhatsApp scam

Cyber criminals and bad actors often use technology to target organisations and individuals. Some rely on WhatsApp, some use YouTube whereas the more sophisticated ones go for deepfake content. However, this is one scam which saw a dangerous concoction of popular tech and platforms to target a multi-billion dollar ad firm.

Martin Read, CEO of WPP, one of the biggest advertising groups worldwide, has been targeted with an elaborate deep fake scam involving an artificial intelligence voice clone. Read, according to a report by The Guardian, briefed about the attempted fraud in a recent email to leadership and warned others to be alert about such fake calls.

According to the report, scammers created a WhatsApp account with a publicly available image of Read. They used it to set up a Microsoft Teams meeting that appeared to be with him and another senior WPP executive. Further, they used a voice clone of him from a public YouTube video to scam him.

The scamsters also asked the other leadership team members in the meeting to set up a new business and asked for their details. However, as Read stated in his email to the company, they were unsuccessful in their attempts.

Read wrote, “Fortunately the attackers were not successful. We all need to be vigilant of the techniques that go beyond emails to take advantage of virtual meetings, AI, and deepfakes. We have seen increasing sophistication in the cyber-attacks on our colleagues, and those targeted at senior leaders in particular.”

The incident highlights the growing trend of deep fake attacks targeting corporations. AI voice clones have duped many financial institutions and executives previously by acquiring audio samples and making deepfake videos or photos.

Read, as per the report, further said that this attack showed “how these techniques are specifically designed to target individuals at a level that is far more tailored and psychological than the scams defrauding the vulnerable or general public.” This scam once again emphasises the need to use robust security measures for every organisation.

A WPP spokesperson said that the phishing attempt was made but in vain. “Thanks to the vigilance of our people, including the executive concerned, the incident was prevented,” the spokesperson told The Guardian.