Identity theft and AI impersonation scams reported in Paraguay and Argentina

Fraudsters are increasingly using identity theft and artificial intelligence to target individuals and businesses. In Paraguay, transport entrepreneur Gerardo Agüero reported that criminals used his family photos from Facebook to create a fake WhatsApp profile. The scammers contacted his business branches, posing as Agüero to request money. While most employees avoided the trap, one agency in Ciudad del Este transferred 2 million Guaraníes to a fraudulent account. The case has been reported to economic and financial crime authorities.

In Argentina, economic journalist Willy Kohan warned that his image was manipulated using artificial intelligence to promote fraudulent investment schemes on YouTube. The deepfake video used Kohan’s likeness to lend credibility to fake financial advice, though the deception was noted by a suspicious Spanish accent in the synthesized voice. Kohan has denounced the content and clarified he has no affiliation with the advertisements.