Make sure you get the right URL when looking for DeepSeek online. — Photography GREG BAKER/AFP
Cybersecurity specialist ESET is warning of the risk of online scams linked to growing interest in DeepSeek, the Chinese artificial intelligence specialist hoping to overshadow ChatGPT and others in the sector.
Via its WeLiveSecurity website, ESET highlights the development of numerous fraudulent sites, as well as cryptocurrency scams, all based on DeepSeek's name and graphic identity.
Indeed, cybercriminals are wasting no time. In recent weeks, DeepSeek has emerged as a disruptor in the AI sector, with its high-performance, low-cost language model capable of competing with the best (mostly American) alternatives at a much lower cost. Surfing on the buzz, hackers have been quick to develop fake websites, attracting their future victims by using the DeepSeek name in every imaginable way in the domain name. If you want to try out the firm's AI, be sure to use DeepSeek.com. The fraudulent websites identified imitate the official DeepSeek website and entice internet users to download a mysterious model, which is, in reality, a malicious software program. The majority of these fake websites seek to trick users into providing information or money, in particular with offers to invest in cryptocurrencies, a sector in which DeepSeek is not actually involved.
Users should watch out for suspicious buttons, spelling mistakes or approximate designs, which can be signs of a scam website. It's also wise to be vigilant about (unsolicited) emails and messages on social networks touting DeepSeek's exploits and urging users to click on suspicious links. If in doubt, go to the DeepSeek website by typing in the URL directly, without clicking on any external links. Finally, never share sensitive personal information, whether on a malicious site or on an official AI platform, whether it's DeepSeek or any other competitor. – AFP Relaxnews
