The Iraqi National Security Service warned on Saturday of a rise in online financial fraud and deepfakes, urging citizens to contact banks directly before disclosing any personal or banking information.
In a statement received by the Video News Agency, the agency's spokesperson, Arshad al-Hakim, said, "The National Security Service has observed an increase in online financial fraud activities perpetrated through social media pages and websites impersonating local and foreign banks. These accounts claim to offer loans or fictitious investment opportunities to lure victims and steal their money and banking details."
He explained that "the fraudsters employ enticing tactics, using attractive advertisements promising easy loans, free grants, or offers to sell dollars at attractive rates. They then direct victims to fake websites where they request personal information or bank card details, ultimately resulting in the theft of salaries or the execution of unauthorized financial transfers." He urged citizens to "verify the identity of any financial institution through its official channels and contact the bank directly before disclosing any personal or banking information," emphasizing that "official entities never request sensitive information online."
He added that "deepfakes using artificial intelligence techniques are dangerous and can be exploited to alter voices or images and produce fake content intended to mislead or incite chaos," stressing "the need to verify content before sharing it and not to rely on unknown or suspicious platforms."