Technique

Influence Operation

Also known as: Disinformation Campaign, Information Operation, Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior, MDM Campaign, Computational Propaganda

DELIVERYMANIPULATIONEXPLOITATION

Coordinated campaigns using disinformation, misinformation, and synthetic media to manipulate public perception, erode trust, and prime consumers for scams through fake narratives, deepfake celebrity endorsements, and emotionally charged content spread via social media.

Common attack flows

How it fits in a scam

This technique shows up duringDELIVERY

Before

After

This is often where the scam ends.

Defense

How to defend against this

How to spot it

Emotionally charged headlines designed to provoke fear or anger or urgency
Vague assertions lacking specific evidence or named sources
Celebrity endorsements for health or crypto products - verify independently
Content urging immediate action without time to verify
Accounts with AI-generated profile pictures or unusual posting patterns
Stories not covered by multiple reputable news sources
URLs mimicking legitimate news sites with slight variations
Images or videos that fail reverse image search verification