Originally published: Scoop NZ, 16 October 2024
- With the rise of generative AI technology, at least 18% of New Zealand businesses and 29% of Kiwis say they’ve been targeted by deepfake scams, in the last 12 months, with losses estimated to be tens of millions of dollars.
- Despite the threat, 25% of Kiwis and 26% of businesses have not taken any measures to protect themselves from deepfake scams.
- Mastercard has partnered with Stacey Edmonds, a generative AI and deepfake educator, to launch a six-part educational series on preventing these impersonation scams.
It pays to do a double take when someone asks you for money. Deepfake scams – those that utilise deepfake technology to manipulate images, video and audio to defame individuals or trick them into losing money and disclosing personal information – are increasingly prevalent.
New research commissioned by Mastercard shows at least 18% of New Zealand businesses and 29% of Kiwis have been targeted by deepfake scams in the last 12 months, with losses estimated to be tens of millions of dollars[1]. “However, given many victims of these scams are not aware that they have been targeted, this is potentially only the tip of the iceberg,” said Mallika Sathi, Vice President, Security Solutions, Australasia, Mastercard.
Research commissioned by Mastercard and conducted by Pureprofile between 28 August 2024 – 9 September 2024, with 853 New Zealand respondents aged 18+, and 209 New Zealand business decision-makers.
