Bank of Italy Warns Against Governor Deepfake Scams

The Bank of Italy has issued a warning regarding fraudulent content featuring Governor Fabio Panetta on media platforms. Fake articles, images, and videos, often deepfakes, showcase him endorsing investment products. The bank has lodged a complaint with judicial authorities to prevent public fraud and maintain credibility.

The Bank of Italy has raised an alarm concerning fraudulent activities involving fabricated media that features Governor Fabio Panetta. These materials, including articles, images, and videos, wrongly depict Panetta endorsing various investment products, officials warned on Thursday.

To combat these scams and protect the institution's integrity, the central bank has filed a formal complaint with judicial authorities. Authorities are actively working to safeguard the public from potential financial fraud and to defend the governor's reputation.

The bank clarified that these misleading materials are entirely artificial, with many created using advanced artificial-intelligence technologies commonly referred to as deepfakes. These deepfakes leverage digitally manipulated audio or video to convincingly impersonate actual people.

(With inputs from agencies.)