This is a West Africa news story, published by Wired, that relates primarily to Telegram news.
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fabricated news videosWired
•US Politics
US Politics
55% Informative
Cybercriminals have taken their blackmailing efforts up a notch, creating realistic-looking “news” videos that claim their victims are wanted for crimes.
Scammers based in West Africa , likely in Nigeria , have increasingly been seen sending blackmail victims videos likely using AI -generated news anchors in a bid to pressure victims into paying up.
A WIRED review of posts on Telegram by self-styled Yahoo Boys shows the cybercriminals are impersonating television stations based in the US .
Last year , Telegram removed more than a dozen Yahoo Boy channels after WIRED reported on their public activity.
Messages shared within Telegram channels show how the fraudsters are quick to evolve their cons, use new technologies, and widely share or sell advice with each other.
One scammer explained the steps needed to create false news videos and mocked-up front pages of newspapers.
VR Score
31
Informative language
17
Neutral language
32
Article tone
informal
Language
English
Language complexity
52
Offensive language
offensive
Hate speech
not hateful
Attention-grabbing headline
not detected
Known propaganda techniques
not detected
Time-value
short-lived
External references
3
Source diversity
3
Affiliate links
no affiliate links
