Be alert. That’s the message from NAB’s fraud and scam experts on the eve of the nation’s biggest annual shopping period as criminals prey on shoppers hunting a bargain.
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12.12.2025
Deepfake AI technology tricked a customer into believing she was talking to American actor Kevin Costner
NAB Bourke Street branch bankers helped prevent $100,000 scam
Use of deepfakes and synthetic voices by scammers on the rise
When Sue* walked into the NAB’s Bourke Street branch to open a new account for receiving overseas money, NAB banker Angus Murdoch quickly sensed something wasn’t right.
“She said she was expecting money from a well-known American celebrity she had been speaking to online. That was the first red flag,” Mr Murdoch said.
The celebrity? Kevin Costner.
NAB Banker Angus Murdoch
According to new NAB insights*, scammers are increasingly using AI-powered deepfakes to impersonate global stars like Kevin Coster, Kylie Jenner and Elon Musk, as well as Aussie personalities including Eddie McGuire, Gina Rinehart, Karl Stefanovic and David ‘Kochie’ Koch, to target unsuspecting Australians.
In Sue’s case, the scammers had used a sophisticated AI deepfake video call to convince her she was speaking directly with the Hollywood star.
“Sue was convinced it was Kevin Costner,” Mr Murdoch said.
“He told her he wanted to set up an office in Australia and needed help buying commercial property. Since she’d worked as a property manager, it felt like a natural fit.”
Sue wanted to open an Australian bank account for ‘Kevin’ so he could transfer $200,000 from the US to a local account, Sue also planned to move $100,000 of her own savings into it, trusting he’d repay her with interest.
Thanks to Angus’ training, he quickly recognised the hallmarks of an AI-driven scam: emotional manipulation, deepfake video calls and a request for large sums of money.
“I could see the concern growing in her face as she started to realise what was really happening,” Mr Murdoch said.
“These criminals were likely trying to use her as a money mule. And, if she’d transferred her own savings, she could have lost everything.”
Sue was referred to NAB’s Fraud team, who helped her piece together the scam. She ultimately chose not to open the account and walked away with her money intact.
NAB Executive Group Investigations Chris Sheehan said the rise of AI is making it harder than ever to tell real from fake.
“Most of the time these types of scams start with a simple ad on social media or in your inbox promising quick profits, fast returns, or personal connections that feel too good to be true,” Mr Sheehan, former Australian Federal Police executive said.
“AI takes it to the next level, with deepfakes and synthetic voices that can mimic celebrities or even loved ones.
“No matter how real it looks, stop, pause and think before you act.”
Visit NAB’s Security Hub to learn more about common scams, red flags and ways to protect yourself.
Notes:
· Sue is not the customer’s real name. The customer’s real name has been changed to protect her privacy.
· *Insights based off customer calls to NAB’s contact centre.
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