In recent months, internet scammers have taken blackmail schemes to a new level, leveraging realistic deepfake news broadcasts to falsely accuse victims of crimes. These fabricated videos, designed to resemble official news reports from major media outlets, exert immense psychological pressure, coercing victims into sending money to extortionists.
Cybercriminal groups, believed to be operating out of Nigeria and commonly referred to as “Yahoo Boys,” have begun deploying artificial intelligence technologies to fabricate these deceptive videos. The content is meticulously crafted, featuring forged logos of well-known news networks and AI-generated news anchors to enhance credibility.
One such video, flagged by cybersecurity experts in December, mimicked a CNN broadcast. In the clip, a supposed news anchor named Christina Lawson from New Jersey reports on a serious criminal incident, falsely implicating a specific individual. The victim’s photograph is prominently displayed, accompanied by fabricated allegations of sexual misconduct.
Other investigated videos have included even more disturbing content, such as compromising images and intimate recordings of victims. In some cases, the scammers split the screen, displaying a photo of the victim on one side and manipulated explicit footage on the other.
According to David Maimon, a professor at Georgia State University and a fraud specialist at SentiLink, scammers are continuously refining their tactics. “They are deliberately humiliating their victims and expanding beyond English-speaking countries, adapting their schemes to new regions,” Maimon explains.
Typically, the blackmail process begins with online courtship, where scammers pose as romantic partners of the opposite sex. Once trust is established, they coax victims into sharing compromising material, which is then weaponized for extortion.
“They manufacture high-stress situations, forcing victims to make impulsive decisions,” Maimon adds. The threat of public exposure compels victims to comply swiftly, fearing irreversible reputational damage.
Telegram remains a primary platform for scammer coordination. Within private groups, fraudsters not only communicate but also sell instructional materials on creating fake news reports and other extortion tactics.
One Telegram channel, boasting over 10,000 subscribers, provides step-by-step guides on fabricating counterfeit news segments and forged newspaper articles.
Brian Mason, a fraud investigator with the Edmonton Police Service (Canada), confirms that he has encountered multiple cases where victims received fraudulent CNN broadcasts. He warns that these videos are disturbingly realistic, triggering panic among those targeted.
Mason further cautions that some scammers fabricate reports accusing victims of involvement with minors, an allegation that heightens the psychological toll and amplifies pressure. In several tragic cases, this type of cyber extortion has led to suicides, particularly among teenagers.
Remi Vaughn, a spokesperson for Telegram, stated that these blackmail operations violate the platform’s policies. He emphasized that Telegram actively employs AI and machine learning algorithms to detect and remove malicious content, blocking millions of prohibited materials daily.
In response to a 2023 WIRED investigation, Telegram shut down over a dozen Yahoo Boys channels, yet the scammers persist, migrating their operations to Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube.
Leaked Telegram conversations among scammers reveal their ability to rapidly adapt, mastering new tools and sharing techniques en masse. In one post, a fraudster published a list of major news networks, including ABC, Fox News, and Al Jazeera, which they frequently imitate to produce fake broadcasts.
While some criminals rely on simple tools—such as meme generators—others employ sophisticated AI techniques, including deepfake technology to impersonate individuals in live video calls.
One of the most alarming developments is the coerced filming of victims’ “apology” videos. In one documented case, a woman was forced to record a public apology, admitting she had wrongfully accused the scammer of fraud. Under duress, she then removed her clothing, following the extortionist’s demands.
It is highly likely that after recording the video, the blackmail continued, with the criminals disseminating the footage across the internet to further exploit the victim.
As fraudsters refine their manipulation tactics and AI-generated content becomes more accessible, experts warn that this form of cyber extortion will only escalate. The emergence of realistic deepfake blackmail videos underscores the urgent need for awareness, regulation, and advanced countermeasures to protect potential victims from this rapidly evolving digital threat.
