By Riffat Kausar
Snn News Finland
Helsinki Finland Warns the Police public about a new scam involving Google Meet video calls and suspected AI-generated deepfakes, in which fraudsters impersonate police officers to extract personal and banking information.
Scam First Reported in June
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said the scam first came to light in June, after several people reported receiving video calls from individuals claiming to be police officers.
During these calls, scammers attempted to obtain victims’ banking details and personal information. In some instances, victims were asked to hold their payment cards up to the camera.
Calls Made in Finnish and English, Targeting Immigrants
According to police, the fraudulent calls have been conducted in both Finland Warns and English. The scams have primarily targeted immigrants living in Finland.
Victims have reportedly been threatened with serious consequences including the closure of their bank accounts, arrest, or deportation if they refused to comply and hand over their personal information.
Deepfake Technology Used to Impersonate Real Officers
Police said there are indications that deepfake technology has been used by fraudsters in some of the more recent cases.
In a news item, the NBI stated that scam video calls have recently used the faces of known police officers, including National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskimäki.
The use of AI-generated likenesses of real, identifiable officials marks an escalation in the sophistication of the scam, according to authorities.
Authorities Urge Caution
The NBI has not yet disclosed the number of confirmed victims or the total financial losses linked to the scam.
Finland Warns police are urging the public particularly immigrant communities to remain cautious of unsolicited video calls requesting personal or banking information, and to verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent law enforcement through official channels.
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