- A Ferrari executive was the target of a deepfake scam earlier this month.
- Using AI software, the fraudster impersonated the Ferrari CEO in a phone call, asking for help with a transaction.
- Fortunately, the executive didn’t bite, and the scammers ended the call abruptly.
The quick rise of artificial intelligence gives new tools to scammers to fool their victims – even when they’re in high-profile positions. A recent deepfake scam targeted a Ferrari executive, who received several messages and calls, allegedly coming from the company’s CEO, Benedetto Vigna. Thankfully, the unnamed executive outsmarted the impersonator, by asking a personal question as a means of identification.
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Everything started with a bunch of messages on WhatsApp. Someone portraying Ferrari’s Chief Executive Officer was asking for help in an urgent and – supposedly classified – acquisition. The messages came from a different phone number, but the profile pictured portrayed Vigna, standing in front of the Ferrari emblem.
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As reported by Bloomberg, some of the messages read: “Hey, did you hear about the big acquisition we’re planning? I could need your help”… “Be ready to sign the Non-Disclosure Agreement our lawyer is set to send you asap,”…. “Italy’s market regulator and Milan stock-exchange have been already informed. Stay ready and please utmost discretion.”
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Following the texts, the executive received a phone call, hearing a rather convincing impersonation of Vigna’s voice, with his characteristic southern Italian accent. The fake CEO said he was calling from a different number due to the confidentiality of the issue, before asking his colleague to carry out an “unspecified currency-hedge transaction”.
The unconventional money-related request, alongside some “slight mechanical intonations” during the call, made the Ferrari executive suspicious about the nature of the communication. He said: “Sorry, Benedetto, but I need to identify you,”, asking the CEO which book he recommended to him a few days earlier. The impersonator couldn’t possibly know the answer, so they abruptly ended the call.
Ferrari representatives declined to comment on the situation, which was shared with Bloomberg by unnamed sources. The incident reportedly took place earlier this month and is currently under investigation by the company.
Of course, this is not the first time AI was used by fraudsters to extract money from people. Rachel Tobac, the CEO of SocialProof Security which specializes in cybersecurity, said: “This year we’re seeing an increase in criminals attempting to voice clone using AI.”
Stefano Zanero, a cybersecurity professor at the Politecnico di Milano, believes it is a matter of time before the “AI-based deepfake sophistication tools” become “incredibly accurate”. The only solution is for companies to train their staff to better distinguish what’s real and what’s not. Until then, make sure you double-check before you send money to anyone, including your boss.
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The real Benedetto Vigna, Ferrari’s CEO
#Ferrari #CEO #Impersonator #Uncovered #Colleague #Deepfake #Call
