The video uses an excerpt from an RTL news broadcast on 23 August. Scammers stole the original footage and manipulated it using AI to create a deepfake, making it appear as though Luxembourg’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Xavier Bettel endorsed a lucrative money-making scheme. It appeared as though he claimed that by investing €250, you could receive up to €30,000 in return.
The scammers also incorporated a clip of RTL journalist Raphaëlle Dickes, whose Quebecois French accent may have fooled some viewers, although, as a rule of thumb, RTL presenters almost always speak Luxembourgish on television unless the interview is in French.
In reality, these types of schemes do not exist. The deepfake relies on the images and voices of public figures, allowing scammers to make them “say” anything using AI technology. While the imitations are uncanny, carefully paying attention to the journalist’s jewellery, clothing, and the altered background helped identify the video as a manipulated excerpt. The original footage of the minister, taken from his Facebook account, addressed gender-based violence and had nothing to do with the claims in the scam.
The fraudulent video was shared in the Facebook group “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, Luxembourg”. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant, report suspicious videos to the police, and not follow any “instructions” presented by the images of the minister or journalist.
