Argentina: AI Investment Scams and Sexual Deepfakes

An investigation attributed to ESET Latin America described an investment scam campaign detected mainly in Argentina that mixed digital ads, phone-based social engineering, impersonation of media outlets and public figures, and AI-manipulated or AI-generated content. Coverage said the operation used sites that mimicked Argentine news portals and deepfakes tied to President Javier Milei and a supposed project called "Argentina LNG".

What did ESET detect in the investment campaign?

ESET, according to the coverage available, linked the operation to fake companies, identity theft and audiovisual pieces that appeared to have been made with artificial intelligence. Derecho y Negocios also reported that an analysis by Hive Detection attributed a 99% probability of AI generation or manipulation to a video of Javier Milei.

The same secondary coverage said the campaign used at least nine fraudulent Gmail ads between May and September 2026, with initial deposits starting at 150,000 Argentine pesos and a handoff to a platform identified as VTMarketLTD. That detail does not appear to be cross-checked against ESET's primary report in the available results, so it remains information provided by that note.

What other AI-related cases were reported in Argentina?

Beyond the investment scam, several local outlets reported a case involving sexually explicit images generated with AI at a school in Argentina. El Día linked the case to complaints against two 15-year-old students for generating, distributing and allegedly selling fake images of classmates.

In that context, Colegio Modelo Lomas issued a statement saying that once the situation became known, the leadership team filed reports with education authorities and adopted disciplinary measures. El Día did not spell out those measures or provide the full procedural status of the case.

Fénix 951 added that, in the investigation, police reportedly searched the homes of teenagers and seized cell phones and computers. The same report said about 40 students may have been affected, a figure lower than the 50 cited in other publications, although that number was not officially confirmed in the material available.