Recognize the pattern
How it starts
Voice calls, video meetings, or celebrity promotions.
The promise
A familiar person appears to request an urgent payment.
What happens next
Synthetic media borrows a real person's credibility to bypass established payment verification.
Signs to watch for
- The payment bypasses normal procedures
- Refuses a separate known verification channel
- Demands secrecy and immediate action
Start with what you can do now
If this happened to you
Pause payment and contact the impersonated person
Tell your bank about suspected synthetic impersonation
Preserve original media and report
What to save
Keep the original records. Use copies to organize the details.
- Original audio and video
- Meeting link and accounts
- Payment instructions
- Verification and transaction records
Before you send money
- Use independent callbacks and agreed checks
- Require multiple approvals for large payments
- Do not rely on video appearance alone
These guides explain common patterns. The facts of your situation and your payment provider’s rules determine which steps are available.