Created: Apr 11, 2025 08:04 AM

AI scam: the Government warns of a fake AI-generated social-media post (Photograph supplied)

Social-media users are warned to be wary of online scams that falsely carry The Royal Gazette banner being spread by fraudsters.

Dexter Smith, the Editor of The Royal Gazette, urged the public to “report and ignore” the fake social-media posts when they see them.

“The Royal Gazette takes such misappropriation of our brand very seriously,” he said.

“Most sensible people in Bermuda would know that these articles are fake, but farther afield there remains the threat of reputational damage — for us and for the esteemed members of the Bermudian community who have been equally victimised by the acts of warped minds with access to computers and artificial intelligence.

“We urge the authorities to continue their fine efforts to bring those responsible before the courts.”

In recent months, this newspaper’s banner has been misleadingly used in several posts published on social-media sites such as Facebook.

Many of the posts also featured public figures including David Burt, the Premier and Minister of Finance, Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, and Dame Flora Duffy, the Olympic gold-medal winning triathlete, along with promises of salacious news or easy money.

One recent AI-generated video, which was seen on Facebook, included branding that falsely suggested it was related to a report in The Royal Gazette and featured imagery of Mr Burt with claims about a fake government investment scheme.

A spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office warned that the video was a scam and that fraudulent accounts were using AI-generated images to mislead or exploit the public.

She added that the posts or direct messages often used the likeness of public personalities and copied the design of news outlets to seem legitimate.

To find authentic Royal Gazette content online, visit royalgazette.com or official social-media pages on Facebook and X.