Mo Abudu has warned Nigerians against falling victim to a deepfake video circulating online, describing the clip as a fraudulent AI manipulation of her face and voice.
Gatekeepers News reports that the viral video falsely claimed that the media mogul had launched a project that would allow Nigerians to earn more than N700,000 daily.
In a post shared on Instagram on Wednesday, the founder of EbonyLife Group identified a Facebook account named “Naija Capital Growth” as the source of the misleading video.
According to Abudu, both the voice and message in the clip were artificially altered and did not originate from her.
“It’s important that I address a fake video currently circulating online from a Facebook account called ‘Naija Capital Growth.’ Please note that my voice and the message in the video has been altered,” she said.
“I have not asked anyone for money, and I would never ask for money in this way or manner. This video is completely fake and misleading.”
The award-winning filmmaker also shared the original, unedited footage used in creating the deepfake.
Abudu explained that the authentic interview was recorded on March 23, 2023, during the Forbes 30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi, where she spoke about African storytelling, media representation, and international partnerships.
“For clarity, the original video being manipulated with AI, was an interview I did with Maggie McGrath, Editor of Forbes Women, during my trip to Abu Dhabi as a speaker at the Forbes 30/50 Summit on the 23rd of March, 2023. You can swipe to find the original video,” she added.
She urged members of the public not to send money in connection with the fake clip and appealed for wider awareness to prevent others from being scammed.
“Please do not send or part with any money in relation to this fake video. I kindly ask that you help me circulate this message as widely as possible to prevent others from being scammed or misled,” Abudu said.
