African Union Chief Moussa Faki Impersonated in Cyber Scam Using AI
Cybercriminals have exploited artificial intelligence to impersonate the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki. These fraudsters successfully mimicked Mr. Faki’s voice and initiated video calls to European capitals under the guise of arranging meetings.
The scammers also employed fake email addresses, posing as the organization’s deputy chief of staff, to coordinate calls with foreign leaders. During these video calls, they used deep fake technology to impersonate the chairperson.
In response, the African Union Commission expressed regret over these incidents and reaffirmed its commitment to using official diplomatic channels for high-level engagement requests via Note Verbale, emphasizing its adherence to diplomatic protocol.
The motives behind these impersonation attempts remain unclear, but the term “phishing” was used in reference to the fake emails, suggesting a potential intention to steal digital identities to access sensitive information.
Deep fakes, powered by artificial intelligence, are gaining popularity and are sometimes used for spreading misinformation and propaganda. This technology involves creating convincing video content of individuals saying or doing things they have not actually done.
