New Deepfake Video Scam: Hackers Impersonate YouTube CEO

A few days ago, our cybersecurity specialists were discussing the results of a test in which only 1 of 2,000 people correctly identified deepfake videos. As if to confirm the seriousness of the issue, a deepfake video scam is on the loose, tricking people to share their YouTube login details.

The deepfake phishing scam impersonates YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. Various content creators receive the video, in which the AI impersonation shares a new monetisation plan for videos hosted on YouTube.

How Does the Deepfake Fraud Happen?

The deepfake AI impersonation of CEO Monahan appears to discuss changes in the way content creators can monetise their videos. It is shared as a private video with selected targets – usually YouTube account owners with a significant number of followers.

After the presentation, the deepfake instructs the user to click on the link in the video description to set up the new monetisation plan. This link takes the user to a phishing page titled Studio YouTube Plus. Here, the user is instructed to “confirm the updated YouTube Partner Program (YPP) terms”.

The content of the page adds a sense of urgency, warning users that their account will be restricted for a week if they do not enrol in the new program.

What Are the Consequences for Victims of the Deepfake Video Scam?

Once they fill in the login credentials, YouTube users will see a message stating that their account is under review. In reality, the hackers have now access to their YouTube account and lock them out by changing the password.

The accounts are then used to promote cryptocurrency scams. In some cases, victims of this deepfake fraud also get malware installed on their devices from the phishing page.

YouTube’s Reaction to the Deepfake Phishing Scam

The YouTube team has already posted a message on their official blog. The message states that “YouTube and its employees will never attempt to contact you or share information through a private video.”

Users who receive the deepfake video are instructed to:

• Refrain from clicking on the link
• Report the video to YouTube.

So far, it is unclear how many people fell victim to the scam. It seems to be active since January 2025. A now-deleted thread on X (formerly Twitter) contained messages from hundreds of content creators whose YouTube channels were hijacked in this manner.

The Dangers of Increasingly Realistic Deepfake Phishing Scams

This ongoing scam, coupled with the test indicating that people are unable to distinguish a real person from a deepfake, indicates a serious issue, that will only get bigger. AI models are becoming more and more advanced and capable of creating 3D images of people in incredible detail.

At present, it is still possible to distinguish a real person from a fake AI creation by looking closely at certain details:

• Unnatural facial expressions
• Inconsistent eye blinking
• Wrong lighting
• Incorrect number of fingers.

However, AI models continue to be trained on millions of photos and videos from social media platforms and other sources. Soon, deepfake video scams will be impossible to detect even by the keenest eye.

Advanced Cybersecurity Solutions – Your First Line of Defence!

The only solution to avoid falling victim to deepfake fraud is not getting the phishing emails and messages in your inbox and messaging apps. Cyberflow offers a holistic approach to cybersecurity, including every device, network and user.

Contact us today to set up the best defence system against increasingly sophisticated scams!