The Rising Threat to Businesses from Deepfake Cyber Scams

Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, but one of the fastest-growing dangers facing UK businesses in 2026 is the rise of deepfake scams.

Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes are highly convincing fake videos, voice recordings and images designed to impersonate real people. While deepfake technology was once mostly associated with entertainment and social media, cybercriminals are now using it to target businesses with increasingly sophisticated scams.

For businesses across Scotland and the wider UK, this threat is becoming impossible to ignore.

What Are Deepfake Scams?

Deepfakes use AI to mimic a person’s appearance or voice with alarming accuracy. Criminals can now create fake phone calls, video meetings and voice notes that sound and look like genuine employees, directors or suppliers.

In many cases, attackers use publicly available content from social media, interviews, videos or company websites to clone voices and create realistic impersonations.

These scams are often used to:

• Request urgent bank transfers
• Change supplier payment details
• Gain access to sensitive systems
• Steal login credentials
• Trick employees into sharing confidential information

Unfortunately, many businesses still underestimate how convincing these attacks have become.

Why Businesses Are Increasingly at Risk

Recent reports suggest that 76% of UK organisations have already experienced some form of deepfake-related attack, yet many still feel unprepared to deal with them.

AI has made phishing scams significantly more advanced. Gone are the days when suspicious emails were full of spelling mistakes and poor grammar. Modern AI-generated scams can appear professional, personalised and highly believable.

One of the most well-known examples involved global engineering firm Arup, where attackers reportedly used a deepfake video call impersonating senior staff to convince an employee to transfer millions of pounds.

As the technology becomes cheaper and easier to use, experts warn that these attacks are now taking place “on an industrial scale.”

How to Protect Your Business

The good news is that businesses can significantly reduce their risk by combining cybersecurity technology with clear internal processes and staff awareness.

Some important steps include:

Verify Financial Requests: Always confirm payment requests or banking changes through a second communication method, especially if urgency is involved.

Train Staff Regularly: Employees should understand that voice messages, video calls and emails can now be faked convincingly using AI.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Even if login credentials are stolen, MFA adds another layer of protection.

Limit Public Information: Review how much employee information, videos and contact details are publicly available online.

Invest in Proactive Cybersecurity: Advanced monitoring, email protection and endpoint security solutions can help detect suspicious behaviour before major damage occurs.

Deepfake Threats Will Continue to Grow

The UK government has already identified deepfakes as a major national cybersecurity concern and is working with technology companies to improve detection methods.

However, technology alone will not solve the problem.

Businesses must now assume that seeing or hearing someone online is no longer guaranteed proof of identity. Building strong cybersecurity habits, staff awareness and verification processes is becoming essential for every organisation.

At Forth Tech, we help businesses across the UK strengthen their cybersecurity, improve staff awareness and stay protected against emerging threats like AI-powered scams and deepfake attacks.

Contact our team to find out more.