StarTalk Radio Deepfakes and the War on Truth with Bogdan Botezatu
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Oct 17, 2025 In this discussion, Bogdan Botezatu, Director of Threat Research at Bitdefender, dives deep into the world of deepfakes and cyber scams. He reveals that global scam losses could reach $1 trillion next year. The conversation explores how deepfakes amplify fraud, with attackers impersonating trusted figures to enhance their schemes. Botezatu also emphasizes that 90% of scams exploit human psychology over technology. He urges vigilance and reporting of scams to aid law enforcement. It's a compelling insight into the war against online deception.
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Scams Are A Trillion-Dollar Problem
- Global scam losses are enormous and underreported, with estimates around $1 trillion for 2024.
- Bogdan Botezatu says many victims hide losses, so actual impact could be much larger than reported figures.
Deepfakes Power Mass-Targeted Scams
- Deepfakes are used in one-to-many scams by impersonating trusted public figures to promote fraudulent products.
- Cybercriminals broadcast these fakes via compromised accounts and paid ads to reach millions of potential victims.
Falling For A Deepfake Led To A Purchase
- Chuck Nice recounts falling for a deepfake of Sam Harris that led him to buy a product.
- The deepfake content, targeted ads, and tailored search results amplified the scam into a purchase.
