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Malaysia’s central bank governor has taken the unusual step of appearing in a rebuttal video after scammers used artificial intelligence to fabricate footage of him, including scenes depicting him in a physical confrontation with a guest.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said the fake videos and posts, which circulated on social media, used AI-generated images and voices of Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour and several senior officials to spread false content and lure the public into investment scams and financial fraud.

The fabricated footage was set on the MHI (Malaysia Hari Ini) set on TV3.

It depicted the governor in a physical altercation with a guest during what appeared to be a debate on loans and inflation — complete with overturned furniture, security intervention, and claims that an ambulance had been called.

In response, Abdul Rasheed appeared on camera to address the public directly.

“What you see online is not necessarily true,” he said, warning that AI technology has advanced to the point where synthetic images, cloned voices and fabricated videos can be made to appear convincingly real.

How To Spot It — And Report It

BNM stressed that all official announcements and financial information are published exclusively through its verified channels, and urged the public to cross-check any financial or investment-related content against its official website and social media platforms.

Members of the public who encounter suspicious videos or content impersonating BNM officials are advised to file a report at bnmlink.bnm.gov.my.

This isn’t uniquely Malaysian.

The same tactic has been deployed worldwide — fake videos of Elon Musk promoting crypto, fabricated clips of world leaders making inflammatory statements, and AI-cloned voices of CEOs authorising wire transfers.

The technology is cheap, accessible and increasingly automated.

What makes the BNM case notable isn’t that it happened — it’s that the governor felt compelled to respond personally and publicly, which signals just how far the threat has moved from fringe nuisance to mainstream credibility risk.

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