Taylor Swift Deepfake Involved in Le Creuset Giveaway Scam

Taylor Swift is not giving away free Le Creuset cookware through social media — despite misleading deepfakes of her voice suggesting otherwise. Recently, a wave of posts on TikTok and Meta's Ad Library claimed to feature Swift promoting free Le Creuset products, according to reports. These deceptive ads included clips of Swift near Le Creuset items, accompanied by a synthetic imitation of her voice addressing her fans, known as "Swifties," with various scripted remarks.

These misleading posts directed users to fake websites resembling The Food Network, complete with fabricated articles and testimonials praising Le Creuset. Interested shoppers were only asked to pay a shipping fee of $9.96 for the supposed free items. Unfortunately, no Dutch ovens arrived, and many customers discovered unauthorized monthly charges on their cards. Le Creuset has confirmed that no such giveaway exists.

Swift is not alone in having her voice exploited through AI. Other celebrities, including interior designer Joanna Gaines, have also been targeted in similar scams, with ads appearing from verified accounts or labeled as sponsored content. In April 2023, the Better Business Bureau cautioned consumers about the increasing prevalence and sophistication of AI-generated celebrity ads. Scammers have misled people into believing that Luke Combs was promoting weight loss gummies, Tom Hanks was offering dental plans, and Gayle King was endorsing weight loss products, among others.

Currently, there is little regulation governing deepfakes or penalizing their creators. The onus largely falls on platforms, with YouTube implementing new procedures to report deepfakes. Additionally, it is collaborating with select musicians to utilize their voices for generating interest in AI-generated content.

In the legislative arena, two bills aimed at addressing deepfakes—the No Fakes Act and the Deepfakes Accountability Act—were introduced in Congress last year. However, their future remains uncertain. Presently, only a few states, such as California and Florida, have established any form of AI regulation.