The Bank of Italy issues a new warning against online scams.The internet is once again becoming a hunting ground for digital criminals, and this time the Institute's top management is directly targeted. In these hours, they are...circulating once again artificial images, videos and articles who misuse the name and face of Governor Fabio Panetta, falsely presented as a guest on television programs or as a protagonist in media contexts that never occurred.
It's about content completely invented, designed to appear credible and in some cases linked to the promotion of investment platforms, with the suspicion that the ultimate goal is to defraud savers.
The deepfake machine
Behind these materials there is also theuse of artificial intelligence techniques, the so-called deepfake, capable of realistically reproducing likenesses and voices. Manipulated videos, falsified articles, unreleased interviews: a sophisticated system aimed at exploiting the Governor's authority to instill trust and push users into deceptive financial transactions.
The Bank of Italy is clear: none of the content in circulation corresponds to realityPanetta's involvement in these initiatives is entirely contrived.
Report to the Judicial Authority
The Institute on Via Nazionale has already presented complaint to the judicial authorities with the aim of protecting the public from potential scams and defending its institutional image, as well as that of the Governor.
The alarm is not only about reputation, but above all about the protection of citizens, potential victims of fraudulent operations built on the illusion of institutional support that doesn't exist.
How to recognize official communications
La recommendation is to be wary If you receive messages that attribute suspicious statements or participation to the Governor, do not follow up on any requests and do not share the contents.
Le official communications from the Bank of Italy are published exclusively on the institutional website and on the Institute's official social channels, including YouTube, the Bank's X profiles and the Press Office, and LinkedIn.
In a digital ecosystem increasingly susceptible to manipulation, vigilance also requires user caution. And this time, the authority of one of the country's leading financial institutions becomes the—unfair—tool for a scam aimed squarely at savers' wallets.
