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Deepfake Anthony Albanese used in celebrity scams duping Australians out of $7.4m, Asic warns

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · · 593 words · By Tory Shepherd
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Daily briefing

What to know about Deepfake Anthony Albanese used in celebrity scams duping Australians out of $7.4m, Asic warns

There has been a steep rise in scammers luring victims into phoney investment opportunities using deepfakes of celebrities and politicians, Australia’s corporate watchdog has warned.

Claims checked 9
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left20%
Center60%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

There has been a steep rise in scammers luring victims into phoney investment opportunities using deepfakes of celebrities and politicians, Australia’s corporate watchdog has warned.

Why it matters

And Anthony Albanese is the figure most commonly co-opted.

Common ground

Real footage of the prime minister, overlaid with fake audio promising Australians can invest $4,000 to earn $40,000 a month, appears in one video online.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/17/deepfake-anthony-albanese…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “Last financial year, Asic took down 5,476 phishing scam hyperlinks, almost four times as many as the previous year”
CORROBORATED
The figure of 5,476 phishing scam hyperlinks removed, being nearly four times the previous year, is explicitly reported by both The Guardian and the AI-Powered Investment Scams report.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In the realm of electronic technology, ASIC stands for application-specific integrated circuit, an integrated circuit customized for a specific task. ASIC may also refer to: Accreditation Service for…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASIC_(disambiguation)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC ) is an integrated circuit (IC) chip customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use, such as a chip designed to run in a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application-specific_integrate…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — ASICS Corporation (Japanese: 株式会社アシックス, Hepburn: Kabushiki gaisha Ashikkusu), commonly known as Asics (, or ), is a Japanese multinational sportswear company headquartered in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asics
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 2: “Independent MP Zali Steggall has proposed a bill to crack down on deceptive political advertising, which would require AI-generated content that could mislead voters to be clearly identified.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding a bill proposed by MP Zali Steggall to crack down on deceptive political advertising.
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Claim 3: “Commonwealth Bank research published earlier this year found about nine in 10 Australians were confident they could spot an AI scam but in reality they can do so less than half the time.”
CORROBORATED
Commonwealth Bank research is cited in multiple sources stating that Australians struggle to spot AI scams (identifying them only 42% of the time) despite high levels of confidence.
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web search NEUTRAL — That alone should worry all of us. This is a real message from a major bank acknowledging what everyone already knows: impersonation scams — voice, phone, text, even in-person — are accelerating. What…
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/insurance-business-australia_…
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web search NEUTRAL — Commonwealth Bank research has found Australians correctly identify AI-generated scam images only 42% of the time, despite most people saying they feel confident they can spot them.
https://itbrief.com.au/story/australians-struggle-to-spot-ai…
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web search NEUTRAL — One conversation could help stop a scam. Scam or not? It can be hard to tell.TMDs for products not issued by the Commonwealth Bank can be found on the website of the product issuer. Loan applications …
https://www.commbank.com.au/
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Claim 4: “The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (Asic) dealt with more than 19,400 scams last financial year, almost triple the amount in the year before.”
CORROBORATED
The claim that ASIC dealt with more than 19,400 scams last financial year, nearly triple the previous year, is corroborated by The Guardian and a specialized AI-Powered Investment Scams report.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In the realm of electronic technology, ASIC stands for application-specific integrated circuit, an integrated circuit customized for a specific task. ASIC may also refer to: Accreditation Service for…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASIC_(disambiguation)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC ) is an integrated circuit (IC) chip customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use, such as a chip designed to run in a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application-specific_integrate…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — ASICS Corporation (Japanese: 株式会社アシックス, Hepburn: Kabushiki gaisha Ashikkusu), commonly known as Asics (, or ), is a Japanese multinational sportswear company headquartered in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asics
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 5: “They were followed by entrepreneur Dick Smith, billionaire Gina Rinehart, economist Alan Oster, Pauline Hanson and the late radio legend John Laws.”
CORROBORATED
The list of figures following the top five (Dick Smith, Gina Rinehart, Alan Oster, Pauline Hanson, and John Laws) is corroborated by multiple web search results detailing the top 11 most impersonated figures.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Financial Review Rich List 2023 is the 40th annual survey of the 200 wealthiest people resident in Australia, published by the Australian Financial Review on 26 May 2023. The net worth of the weal…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Review_Rich_List_202…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Financial Review Rich List 2025 is the 42nd annual survey of the 200 wealthiest people, assessed on the basis of net worth, who are resident in Australia, that was published by the Australian Fina…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Review_Rich_List_202…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jason Morrison is a conservative Australian talk radio presenter and newspaper columnist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Morrison_(radio_broadcas…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 6: “Economists Tom Piotrowski and Stephen Koukoulas; ABC financial journalist Alan Kohler; and politicians Jacqui Lambie and Angus Taylor... make up the top five [impersonated public figures].”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (The Guardian and 'Top Aussies Impersonated in Investment Scams') explicitly list Tom Piotrowski, Stephen Koukoulas, Alan Kohler, Jacqui Lambie, and Angus Taylor as the top five impersonated figures.
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web search NEUTRAL — Economists Tom Piotrowski and Stephen Koukoulas; ABC financial journalist Alan Kohler; and politicians Jacqui Lambie and Angus Taylor (showing Lambie confronting Taylor on Insiders about patronising p…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/17/deepf…
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web search NEUTRAL — Entrepreneur Dick Smith features in the top 11 most impersonated public figures in online investment scams Australia, along with mining magnate Gina Rinehart, economists Tom Piotrowski, Stephen Koukou…
https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/the-top-australian-p…
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web search NEUTRAL — Tom Piotrowski. Alan Kohler. Stephen Koukoulas. Jacqui Lambie and Angus Taylor, who appear together in the same scam. Dick Smith.
https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/top-au…
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Claim 7: “Last financial year, Asic took down... 7,051 fake investment platforms, 2.5 times higher [than the previous year]”
CORROBORATED
The removal of 7,051 fake investment platforms is confirmed by ASIC's official media release (26-195MR), The Guardian, and the AI-Powered Investment Scams report. The '2.5 times higher' (or 151% increase) is also cited.
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web search NEUTRAL — Our takedowns of fake investment platforms also jumped by 151% in the last financial year, with 7,051 platforms removed.ASIC has also previously warned consumers about fake celebrity endorsements of i…
https://www.asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-…
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web search NEUTRAL — The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (Asic) dealt with more than 19,400 scams last financial year, almost triple the amount in the year before. Artificial intelligence is making it incr…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/17/deepf…
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web search NEUTRAL — In FY2026, ASIC removed more than 19,400 online scams—an 182% increase from the previous year. This included 7,051 fake investment platforms, up 151%, and 5,476 phishing scam links, up 279%. Follow us…
https://www.wis-au.com/post/ai-powered-investment-scams-why-…
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Claim 8: “According to reports to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch, Australians lost $7.4m to the top 10 impersonated public figures, and Albanese was at the top of the list.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms Anthony Albanese is a top impersonated figure and that the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) provides this data, the specific figure of $7.4 million lost to the top 10 figures is not explicitly mentioned in the provided evidence snippets, though the context of the impersonations is corroborated.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Anthony Norman Albanese (born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician who has served as the 31st prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been the leader of the Labor Party since 2019 and the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Albanese
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of prime ministers of Australia by time in office. The basis of the list is the inclusive number of days from being sworn in until leaving office, if counted by number of calendar days …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prime_ministers_of_Aus…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister is the chair of the Cabinet of Australia and thus the head of the federal executive gover…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Australia
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 9: “Last financial year, Asic took down... 3,106 cryptocurrency scams, an increase of almost 30%.”
CORROBORATED
The removal of 3,106 cryptocurrency scams and the increase of almost 30% is explicitly confirmed by ASIC's official media release, The Guardian, and a dedicated news report on crypto scams.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — ASIC removed 3,106 cryptocurrency investment scams during FY26, nearly 30% more than the previous year. Total online scam takedowns surged 182% to more than 19,400, including fake investment platforms…
https://crypto.news/asic-shuts-down-3106-crypto-scams-as-ai-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Last financial year, Asic took down 5,476 phishing scam hyperlinks , almost four times as many as the previous year; 7,051 fake investment platforms, 2.5 times higher; and 3,106 cryptocurrency scams, …
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/17/deepf…
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web search NEUTRAL — Takedowns of cryptocurrency investment scams also increased by almost 30% with the removal of 3,106 scams in the last financial year. 'ASIC has significantly stepped up its online scam takedown effort…
https://www.asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.