{ DEEPFAKE MENACE } THE IMPOSTOR TARGETED AT LEAST FIVE NON-DEPARTMENT INDIVIDUALS 'Rubio impersonator called foreign ministers, US governor'

An unknown individual has been impersonating US Secretary of State Marco Rubio using his voice as a deepfake to contact foreign ministers, a US governor and a member of Congress, a report said on Tuesday, citing a senior US official and State Department cables.

- HT Correspondent

The impostor used both text messaging and the encrypted Signal app to target at least five non-Department individuals since mid-June, according to a July 3 cable from Rubio's office to State Department employees, The Washington Post reported.

The report did not identify which countries' foreign ministers were targeted.

US authorities do not know who orchestrated the impersonation campaign but believe the culprit is likely attempting to manipulate powerful government officials “with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts”.

The impersonation, the report added, began when the impostor created a Signal account using the display name “[e-mail]” — which is not Rubio's actual email address — to contact unsuspecting foreign and domestic diplomats and politicians, according to the State Department cable.