Fake AI-generated adverts showing Nigel Farage kicking, grabbing and lunging at Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey have repeatedly appeared to X users in the UK in recent days, prompting the Reform leader to call on the platform to act “to the highest level”.
The adverts, which depict the two men arguing or fighting on a set resembling BBC Question Time, were posted by X user accounts with blue ticks – a symbol indicating a subscription to the platform’s Premium tier. Some of the promoted posts falsely show Farage holding a gun while he grapples with Bailey, and imagery displaying bruising on their faces. By hovering over the links for some of the original posts used in the adverts, the BBC identified that many would direct people to sites promoting AI cryptocurrency trading schemes or apps.
“Fake AI ads of Nigel Farage fighting Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey have appeared on X, prompting scam warnings.”
Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to Grangemouth on Tuesday, Farage said he did not know “whether to laugh or whether to be angry” about the fake ads. “The trouble is it’s an AI fake but it looks real in every way, and people know that the governor and I have had our disagreements over things over the years,” he added. Farage told reporters that Reform UK contacted X on Monday “to the highest level” and said he hoped it would take action to remove the ads “incredibly quickly”. Earlier, he had written on the platform: “You may have seen some bizarre AI videos on this platform today. Whilst Andrew Bailey and I have our disagreements, I would never take it that far!”
The Bank of England also urged X users to report the ads. “Unfortunately, fake adverts impersonating the Bank of England and other central banks are on the rise,” Governor Andrew Bailey said in a statement. “These scams are designed to criminally exploit the public, especially the vulnerable, when they are online. I would urge everyone to stay vigilant and report these scams. That way authorities can better root out digital deception like this and permanently remove the fraudsters responsible for what is a truly online scourge.”
The Bank has raised concerns about the posts with Reform UK and with social media platforms. In guidance on its website, the Bank says that neither it nor its staff endorse or advertise any products. Platform owner Elon Musk previously touted changes to the verification badge as “the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over” after buying Twitter. X, which explicitly bars impersonation of individuals to “deceive others”, has been approached for comment but did not immediately respond.
Scams using AI to impersonate public figures have proliferated as the technology has become more capable. Martin Lewis, the UK personal finance expert, has been a popular subject of fraudulent posts and has warned of a “wild west” of online scams powered by AI. The UK’s Online Safety Act contains provisions requiring tech platforms to tackle fraudulent advertising, but those duties do not come into force until next year.