AI Deepfakes Are Impersonating Pastors to Try to Scam Their Congregations

Duluth: Father Mike Schmitz, a Catholic priest and podcaster, shared a strange message with his large YouTube audience. He told them they might hear his words, but sometimes they won’t be his real words. This is because scammers are using AI to create fake videos impersonating him.

In the example video, the fake Schmitz warned his viewers to act fast or they would miss out on sending prayer requests. The fake even had a robotic voice and told people to click on a link. Schmitz explained that he can see the differences in the videos, but many people cannot. He said this is a big issue.

Commenters shared that they had seen other popular religious figures, including the pope, also impersonated with AI. Cybersecurity expert Rachel Tobac noted that pastors are prime targets for these AI scams. They often appear in viral videos that look very real.

Pastors from several cities, including Birmingham, Alabama, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, have alerted their followers about these scams, which use deepfake technology. One pastor in the Ozarks reported that scammers hacked his Facebook and shared fake cryptocurrency trading offers. A church in the Philippines also reported deepfake videos featuring its leaders.

This issue exists partly because many pastors with large online followings often ask for donations and sell merchandise. Scammers take advantage of their online presence to trick people into believing they are the real pastors, using AI tools to create fake content.