A WIRED review of the videos and three associated Yahoo Boy Telegram channels reveals how the con artists’ techniques have evolved with the advancements in deepfake technology and artificial intelligence. This detailed documentation sheds light on the specific tactics and extravagant methods used by scammers in deepfake video calls, a first of its kind.
The videos exhibit Yahoo Boys utilizing the technology with setups involving laptops and phones. The scammers boldly display their own faces, as well as those of their victims, in multiple videos. Maimon suggests, “I don’t think they’re doing this because they’re stupid. I think that they simply don’t care and aren’t afraid of the consequences.”
Experienced scammers, the Yahoo Boys openly boast about their activities. Their fraudulent activities and recruitment efforts are widely spread across social media platforms, with Telegram being their most transparent hub. In groups with thousands of members, Yahoo Boys advertise their scamming skills for various fraudulent activities.
These cybercriminals engage in social manipulation, impacting their victims in lasting ways. They promote scams like business email compromise, crypto scams, and impersonation scams. They offer photo and video editing skills, explicit photographs, fake IDs, and more. Additionally, they freely distribute scam “scripts.”
Paul Raffile, an intelligence analyst, notes that Yahoo Boys operate in clusters without a defined leadership structure. They share advice and tips online, organizing their activities on Telegram. Despite this, the three channels associated with Yahoo Boys are currently inaccessible.
The use of deepfakes in romance scams by Yahoo Boys began around May 2022. Initially, they would post videos of themselves with altered appearances to lure victims into conversation. However, their tactics have since evolved.
To create their deepfake videos, Yahoo Boys utilize various software and apps, which are often advertised for entertainment purposes. The live deepfake calls involve a setup with two phones and a face-swapping app, allowing scammers to swap faces with their victims in real-time.
