Deepfake video calls

These calls are short on purpose. The picture is dark or jumpy, the sound cuts out, and after a few seconds the caller says the connection is bad and switches to text to ask for money.

Ask the caller to do something a fake struggles with: turn their head fully to the side, wave a hand slowly in front of the face, or answer a question only they would know. Glitches around the edges of the face are a warning sign, though a good fake may pass.

The safest rule needs no detective work. Money requests from a call are checked by calling the person back on their usual phone number, outside the app that contacted you.