Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto warned residents about deepfake videos circulating online that misrepresent him endorsing investments or platforms. The city government clarified Sotto will never promote any investment opportunity and urged the public to stay alert as AI‑generated fake content spreads across social media.
City officials said the deceptive videos use artificial intelligence to make both visuals and audio appear convincing, which can mislead viewers into believing the fabricated endorsements are true. The warning came as part of growing concerns over how AI deepfakes exploit public trust.
Mayor Sotto noted that some people who saw the deepfakes could be persuaded to invest large sums of money. “Kawawa ang mga biktima!!! Nagkalat ang ganitong uri ng fake/AI‑generated videos. Minsan mukha nang totoo. Yung audio, tunog totoo na rin,” he said, highlighting how convincing the AI‑generated content can be.
He listed common scams that still affect the public, including investment fraud and romance scams, and noted that some deceptive methods remain illegal even if they aren’t technically classified as scams, such as AI‑promoted videos for gambling websites. “Kaya please, mag‑iingat po tayo. May investment scam. Uso pa rin ang love scam. May iba naman na hindi scam per se pero panloloko/illegal pa rin kagaya ng AI video bilang promo ng gambling website,” he said, underscoring the need for caution.
Sotto also warned that the next wave of deceptive tactics could involve real‑time impersonation over video calls using familiar faces and voices. “Sunod nito, may magvi‑video call sa atin na kamukha at kaboses ng kakilala natin,” he said, urging everyone to spread awareness about these scams, especially for vulnerable family members.
Pasig City officials emphasized that residents should avoid engaging with suspicious investment pitches and be vigilant about content online. The warning underscores the growing threat of AI‑enabled scams that can mislead and harm the public.
