Investigations uncovered coordinated ad campaigns that spoofed major Canadian outlets, including deepfaked video clips, to promote fraudulent trading platforms such as Quantum AI. Platforms and registrars removed many pages following takedown requests, underscoring deepfakes being used to drive cross‑border investment fraud.

Reporting and incident database analyses identified coordinated advertising and domain campaigns in Canada that impersonated reputable news organizations, including spoofed versions of CBC content, to funnel victims to fraudulent crypto trading platforms such as Quantum AI. The campaigns used deepfaked video clips and spoofed article pages to create apparent editorial legitimacy, then redirected readers through paid ads and bogus review sites to sign up for trading services that lack regulatory authorization. Platforms, ad networks and domain registrars removed numerous pages and accounts after takedown requests, but investigators warned that the episodes show how synthetic media and spoofed media brands can be weaponized to amplify trust and accelerate victim recruitment. Observers noted the heightened risk during election periods when attention to news brands increases, and called for stronger platform enforcement, faster registrar responses and public awareness campaigns. The incidents illustrate the intersection of AI‑enabled fabrication and traditional social engineering that enables scalable, cross‑border investment fraud requiring coordinated tech and regulatory countermeasures.