Singapore PM Lawrence Wong Warns Against His Deepfakes Used to Promote Scam Tokens

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has encouraged due diligence amid growing images and deepfakes of him used to promote cryptocurrencies.

Blockchain technology and artificial intelligence have evolved significantly over the years, progressing from simple line codes to sophisticated capabilities. As their potential grows, so does the likelihood of misuse by malicious individuals.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has identified this trend, urging users to exercise caution before making any decision. In a tweet today, he highlighted the growing use of his deepfakes and images to promote scam tokens, advising due diligence.

Deepfakes Used to Sell Tokens

Wong stated that it has come to his notice that bad actors are leveraging AI to make images and videos of him promoting tokens. He also admitted to seeing some of those in his feed as fraudsters ride on his popularity to sell cryptocurrencies, money-making schemes, and permanent residency application services.

Meanwhile, the Singapore prime minister urged users to disregard such materials and not interact with the scammers. Furthermore, Wong encouraged users to report these bad actors to the necessary authorities and not share sensitive information with them.

He also shared screenshots of the circulating images and videos and branded them a scam.

Singapore Facilitates Efforts to Curb Crypto Scams

Wong’s post mirrors a broader effort by the Singaporean authorities to curb the growing number of cybercrimes in the city-state. In January, lawmakers passed a law allowing banks to freeze accounts of scam victims to prevent more losses.

In 2024, scam activities in Singapore rose by 11% to 51,501 due to increasingly sophisticated schemes. This caused victims to lose a record $827 million, up a staggering 70% from the previous year.

Moreover, this is not the first time a Singapore PM has warned against these demeaning acts; former PM Lee Hsien Loong brandished a similar call in 2023. Loong described these false images as very convincing yet completely bogus.