Ethical Hacking News
A new form of cyber scam is emerging, utilizing AI-generated deepfakes to impersonate popular OnlyFans creators. Scammers are using social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat to lure fans into sending money, often through Cash App. Experts stress the importance of detecting such scams by recognizing distinct features of AI-generated content and verifying the authenticity of online creators before proceeding with any financial transactions.
Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes to impersonate popular OnlyFans creators on social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. The scammers target fans who send money through platforms like Cash App, which can't be reversed. These scams also harm the original creators by losing income and risking retribution from disgruntled followers. Laws are limited in controlling the flow of stolen material across borders. Experts advise spotting deepfakes by looking for distinct artifacts like distorted teeth and frozen eyebrows.
In a recent development that has shed light on the evolving nature of cybercrime, scammers have been using artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes to impersonate popular OnlyFans creators. This scam targets unsuspecting fans who are lured into sending money through social media platforms such as Cash App.
The scammers create fake accounts on platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, utilizing AI-generated deepfakes of real OnlyFans creators. The fake accounts use material lifted from the original creators' photos and given a synthetic voice to nudge viewers into direct message conversations.
Once the fan engages with the fake account, the scammer steers them toward a direct payment for exclusive content through Cash App. Since Cash App is a peer-to-peer platform built for informal transfers between friends, not commerce, once sent, the money is effectively gone.
This type of fraud has two victims: the fans who lose money to scams and the creators themselves. The latter lose income that they might have collected from their fans and risk facing retribution from disgruntled followers who believe they've been taken advantage of.
Domestically, laws only apply to domestic platforms, making it difficult to control the flow of stolen material. Even if universal enforcement were possible, previous studies suggest that many participants still rely on deepfake content even after being informed about its authenticity.
Researchers at the University of Bristol conducted three experiments this year, demonstrating how easily people fall for such scams despite knowing they are fake. The implications of these findings underscore the need for further research into detecting and preventing AI-generated deepfakes.
The Take It Down Act criminalizes non-consensual explicit content, including AI-generated material, and requires rapid platform takedowns. However, its effectiveness is limited by enforcement stopping at national borders.
To combat such scams, experts advise spotting a deepfake by looking out for distinct artifacts like distorted teeth and frozen eyebrows in the video or photo. A practical guide to identifying deepfakes has been published by Malwarebytes, which also highlighted the underlying manipulation used across scam types: establishing familiarity, triggering urgency, requesting payment through an irreversible channel.
If a "creator" reaches out to you through a third-party platform and steers the conversation toward direct payments for exclusive content, treat it as a red flag. Verify the creator's official accounts before proceeding with any further action or financial transactions.
Following Pierluigi Paganini on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Mastodon can provide valuable insights into cybersecurity threats such as AI deepfakes used to impersonate OnlyFans creators.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/A-New-Form-of-Cyber-Scam-AI-Deepfakes-Used-to-Impersonate-OnlyFans-Creators-ehn.shtml
https://securityaffairs.com/196772/ai/ai-deepfakes-used-to-impersonate-onlyfans-creators-in-new-scam.html
Published: Fri Aug 7 02:34:09 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
