During her honeymoon, Michel Janse discovered that she had been cloned. Scammers had manipulated her popular video through artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create a deepfake, using her likeness to promote erectile dysfunction supplements. This type of identity theft is becoming more common as AI-driven tools make it easier to generate realistic deepfakes. Celebrities and individuals with a modest social media presence have been targeted, as bad actors use stolen identities to promote offensive products and ideas.

Efforts to prevent deepfake identity theft have been slow, with limited recourse for victims. Companies like YouTube are investing in the ability to detect and remove deepfakes, but tracking down the culprits can be challenging, especially for those with fewer resources. As AI tools continue to proliferate, experts predict a drastic increase in the volume of ads made with stolen identities.