Scammers using AI to impersonate Sir Billy Connolly

Sir Billy Connolly has warned fans that scammers are utilizing artificial quality to impersonate him online.

The Scottish comedian and histrion - affectionately known arsenic The Big Yin - said his woman Pamela Stephenson had besides been targeted.

In a connection connected his website, the 82-year-old said: "Dear friends, I person learned that, unfortunately, online scam artists are targeting my fans and supporters.

"They are impersonating me, often reaching retired to fans soliciting nonstop messaging.

"They make aggregate deceptive societal media and email accounts, and determination could good beryllium transgression intent."

Sir Billy, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's illness successful 2013, said his authoritative Facebook leafage is his lone societal media relationship - alongside his website, billyconnolly.com.

He warned: "I bash not person an Instagram, X, Snapchat, Telegram oregon immoderate different societal media account.

"I ne'er interact straight with fans oregon supporters, and would ne'er suggest they nonstop connection me, conscionable me, nonstop maine wealth oregon acquisition goods directly.

"I bash not merchantability memberships, instrumentality cards, meetings. I volition ne'er suggest gathering personally oregon inquire for idiosyncratic information.

"If you are asked for immoderate of the above, it is simply a scam. My likeness and the dependable of my dependable tin beryllium created by AI... truthful beware!"

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Criminals tin usage cloning exertion to replicate a person's dependable from conscionable a fewer seconds of audio, which tin beryllium easy captured from a video idiosyncratic has uploaded online oregon to societal media.

Deepfake images of celebrities are often utilized successful scams - and fake adverts featuring nationalist figures were the astir reported scam adverts reported to the Advertising Standards Authority successful 2024.

Sir Billy, who was knighted successful 2017 for services to amusement and charity, announced his status from unrecorded performances successful 2018.

As good arsenic his stand-up shows, helium has starred successful a fig of films - including Mrs Brown alongside Judi Dench, The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise, and Gulliver's Travels with Jack Black.

He has besides voiced a fig of animated characters, including King Fergus successful Pixar's Brave.

Despite his aesculapian condition, the comic has continued to grounds programmes and marque TV appearances.

His astir caller projects see TV shows specified arsenic 2018's Billy Connolly: Made In Scotland, Billy Connolly's Great American Trail successful 2019 and Billy Connolly Does... which began airing successful 2022.