A Groot Aub couple on Monday nearly lost their savings in an online scam using an AI-generated video of veteran journalist Gwen Lister.
The advert promises a monthly payout of N$200 000 from a mere N$4 500 ‘investment’.
The video is circulating on Facebook and Instagram, and possibly other online platforms.
In the artificial intelligence(AI)-generated video, ‘Lister’ says she started the investment project herself and that it is her main source of income.
Michael de Koe (66) and his partner, Norine Blaschke, this week almost fell for the scam, and are now warning others to be on the lookout.
The couple had travelled from Groot Aub to Windhoek to meet with Lister to discuss the investment, but she informed them it was fake. The veteran journalist commends the couple for contacting her in person. The two on Monday told The Namibian they decided to travel to Windhoek to meet with Lister to find out more after watching the video.
Lister has distanced herself from the scam, warning people to be vigilant when it comes to “slick online fraudulent schemes promising fast money”. The couple had planned to use the promised returns to renovate their home and buy goats.
Blaschke says checking the credibility of the investment plan was just luck.
“We are very lucky we didn’t pay our hard-earned money before making sure if it was really Gwen,” she says.
A similar AI-generated video using president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s name and image to promote financial schemes and investment scams circulated online in October.
The Presidency at the time distanced itself from the programme, known as ‘Namibian Money AI’.
Several other high-profile Namibians have been similarly targeted, including prime minister Elijah Ngurare and former deputy prime minister Natangwe Ithete. The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has previously cautioned the public, saying the government would never ask anyone to invest money in exchange for guaranteed returns.
The government further urged the public to be vigilant and refrain from spreading the false videos and images to avoid further disinformation.
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