'Deepfake as a service' sees 39% spike in dark web conversations — and experts fear it will fuel the next wave of “fake boss” scams

Man in a business suit with pixellated face agains background of political room.

• NordStellar found 924 dark‑web posts about deepfakes‑as‑a‑service (DFaaS) Jan–May 2026, up 39% year‑on‑year
• Rising interest driven by generative AI advances, enabling hyper‑realistic “fake boss” scams and lowering barriers for attackers
• Experts urge prevention through employee education and monitoring for leaked company data to reduce risk of targeted deepfake attacks

The interest in deepfakes-as-a-service (DFaaS) among criminals is growing, and the cybersecurity community is worried it might fuel the next wave of “fake boss” scams.