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These fraudsters need a “Getaway Car.”
Scammers created AI-generated advertisements of what looked and sounded like Taylor Swift hawking Le Creuset to steal data and money from Swifties, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The “Cruel Summer” singer, 34, is a longtime fan of the luxury cookware brand; its Round Dutch Oven, Demi Teakettle and Cast Iron Skillet (among other items) all have places of pride in her kitchen.
However, she has not officially endorsed Le Creuset and was not involved in any way with the forged ads that have been popping up on Facebook, TikTok and other sites in recent weeks.
Experts told the outlet that artificial intelligence technology was used to help create a manufactured version of the Grammy winner’s voice, which was then paired with deepfake video of the star next to footage of Le Creuset dutch ovens to create the convincing ad.
The French-Belgian brand’s dutch oven can cost anywhere from $180 to $750 depending on the size and style of the dish.
In the fake ads, Swift’s synthetic voice called on “Swifties” and announced that she was “thrilled” to be giving away free cookware sets. The ad then prompted her fans to click a button and answer a few questions before the end of the day.
Participants were sent to websites that appeared to be legitimate sites, like the Food Network, and showed fake news coverage of the product along with testimonials by fabricated customers, the New York Times reported.
Hopeful shoppers were then asked to pay a “small shipping fee of $9.96” for the cookware, without realizing that they were getting duped and would face a hidden monthly charge and never receive a posh pot in the mail.
Computer science professor Dr. Siwei Lyu told the newspaper that the con was most likely accomplished using a text-to-speech service.
“These tools are becoming very accessible these days,” Dr. Lyu said, adding that it takes less than 45 minutes to create a “decent-quality” video. “It’s becoming very easy, and that’s why we’re seeing more.”
Other stars were also reportedly wrapped up in the scheme including interior designer Joanna Gaines, country singer Lainey Wilson and lifestyle blogger Ree Drummond.
Le Creuset told the Times they had no partnership with Swift and urged buyers to only shop their product from their official accounts or website. The company also warned consumers against clicking on suspicious ads.
The pop star’s rep did not immediately return Pvnew’s request for comment.
