Scammers use cloned voice to steal USD 35m from Dubai company

Dubai investigators discovered an elaborate scam in which deepfake technology was used to clone the voice of a company director and defraud his company of USD 35 million.

About to make an acquisition, the company needed its bank to authorise a series of transfers. A bank employee was fooled by the deepfaked voice into authorising the transfer of the cash, believing it was a legitimate business transaction. 

UAE authorities reckon the scheme involved at least 17 people. 

It is the second known case of fraudsters using deep voice tools to carry out a heist, and much the largest.