An Ontario woman has shared how an AI-generated video featuring Canada’s Prime Minister led her into a cryptocurrency investment scam that resulted in the loss of more than $900,000. The victim invested nearly all of her savings, took out a mortgage on her condominium, and was left with about $200.
The scam began during the summer of 2025 when 86-year-old Judy Skene of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, saw a Facebook advertisement featuring what appeared to be Prime Minister Mark Carney promoting a cryptocurrency investment.
According to Skene, the video claimed that a $350 Canadian investment would be backed by the Bank of Canada. Believing the advertisement was genuine, she clicked the link, registered on the platform, and made the initial deposit.
Soon afterward, she received a phone call from someone who claimed her investment had already tripled in value. As those conversations continued, she increased her investment over the following months.
The investment extended beyond her savings. Skene later agreed to place a $300,000 mortgage on her condominium after being convinced to continue funding the account.
Although the online investment account showed her balance increasing and nearly doubling, the reported gains were not real.
Skene said communication with the people behind the platform stopped immediately after she made her final payment. By then, she had lost approximately $900,000.
The fraud left her struggling to meet everyday financial obligations after exhausting nearly all of her available funds.
Family friend Pat Probert said he became involved after learning about Skene’s situation and found her in severe emotional distress.
According to Probert, her condominium fees, insurance payments for both her home and vehicle, and other financial obligations were no longer being paid. He said the situation became so serious that Skene felt like taking her own life.
Probert urged people to regularly check on older adults who may be living alone and suggested ensuring that someone trusted can be listed as an emergency contact on bank accounts.
To provide financial assistance, Probert created a GoFundMe campaign to help Skene cover living expenses over the coming years. He said she had originally hoped to leave money to charities because she had no children or close relatives.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The case also focused on the role of AI-generated videos in investment scams circulating across social media platforms.
AI expert and media consultant Mohit Rajhans of Think Start Inc. said fraudulent deepfake advertisements appear across multiple online platforms and often feature public figures, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Rajhans added that social media companies should be held accountable for hosting advertisements that generate revenue while promoting fraudulent schemes.
