A deepfake Keanu Reeves is the star of a new anti-fraud campaign warning of online AI scams.

The John Wick star was chosen to be impersonated in the educational video series because he is one of a string of famous names whose identities have been used in the notorious Celebrity Romance Scam. The “Unmask The Scam” series by Canada’s HomeEquity Bank shows just how easy it is for almost anyone to transform themselves into a convincing A-lister impersonator. It seeks to expose three increasingly common scams – the Celebrity Romance Scam, the Tech Support Scam, and the Real Estate Scam – and explains how to avoid them.

The deepfake impersonator recorded the videos virtually from his home and didn’t need any special cameras or devices to create the effect. The digitally simulated Keanu introduces himself by saying: “I’m NOT Keanu Reeves. I’m a deepfake, unmasking the very real Romance Scams.”

He explains how deep fakes posing as celebrities like Keanu will try to dupe vulnerable fans into online relationships before asking them to urgently send money that will never be seen again. The deepfake warns: “If you believe you are in a relationship with Keanu Reeves, I’m afraid it’s over… But please note that it’s not you; it’s scammers.”

Last year, romance scammers—often impersonating real celebrities, including Reeves—were responsible for the second-highest amount of fraud-related dollar loss in Canada. Vivianne Gauci, HomeEquity Bank’s Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, and Chief Marketing Officer, revealed she has personal experience of the Celebrity Romance Scam. She said: “I was targeted by a romance scammer pretending to be a Canadian A-list celebrity. “I knew the signs, so I didn’t fall for the scam, but I still can’t get over how real it looked.” She added: “While our deepfake actor is only using the technology for educational purposes, not every user of deepfake technology is. “If you think you’ve been targeted in a scam, please contact the police and the CAFC. I understand it can be embarrassing to talk about, but taking action helps you take back your power.”