What happened
CTV News reported that an Acton, Ont. woman saw an online ad with an AI-generated video of Prime Minister Mark Carney promoting a crypto trading platform. She lost $13,000, then a caller who phoned her daily for months persuaded her to invest again, and she lost another $70,000. CTV also found a deepfake video of the prime minister on social media promising fast, risk-free returns. (CP24 / CTV News, July 15, 2026)
What it means for Canada
Deepfake ads using the prime minister's likeness are pulling Canadians into crypto investment scams. Banks absorb the customer fallout; platforms carrying the ads face pressure.
- Sectors
- Banks and investment firms · Online platforms and advertisers · Consumers, especially older investors
- Tools involved
- Social media ads · WhatsApp · Crypto trading sites
- Canadian rules
- Provincial securities registration (National Registration Search)
Takeaways for Canadian businesses and individuals
- IndividualsTreat any politician or celebrity endorsing an investment in an ad as a scam until proven otherwise.
- IndividualsCheck that a firm is registered at aretheyregistered.ca before sending money.
- IndividualsBe wary of a 'friendly' adviser who calls daily and moves you to WhatsApp; that is how the second $70,000 was lost.
- BusinessIf your executives or brand are deepfaked, report the ads to the platform and the CAFC and warn customers on your own channels.
For the Canadian AI sector
Each case like this raises pressure for platform and AI-provider accountability, which shapes the rules Canadian AI firms will operate under.
Written by AgentsNorth from the source below. General information, not legal or security advice.