How to Protect Yourself and Profit From the 'Deepfake' Future
Welcome to the golden age of scamming...
Last month, the IRS reported that financial crimes in 2025 totaled $10.6 billion. That's a 15.7% increase from 2024. And it only accounts for fraud the IRS knows about.
The number is likely much higher. Cybersecurity firm BioCatch found that fraudulent activity surged 168% year over year in the first half of 2025 alone.
The reason isn't hard to spot.
Today, it's trivially easy to create convincing "deepfakes" using artificial intelligence ("AI"). Images, voices, and even real-time video can be faked with alarming accuracy.
In short, it's easier than ever to warp the truth online – and riskier than ever to trust what you see on a screen.
But today, there are a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from the "deepfake future." And for investors paying attention, this breakdown in trust is creating clear, investable opportunities.
Let me explain...
A recent viral video by 3D artist Eder Xavier shows just how far deepfake technology has come. Using AI, he posed as various cast members from Netflix's hit show Stranger Things. Take a look...
What's more unsettling is that Xavier doesn't just create picture-perfect digital impersonations. He also explains how easily anyone can replicate it at home.
I've written in the past about the cybercrime renaissance...
Two years ago, a group of scammers used deepfake technology to trick a finance employee in Hong Kong into wiring them $25.6 million in company funds. At the time, I flagged cybersecurity as an essential theme as proving online identity becomes harder.
And the implications of the "scam economy" go well beyond a bull run in cybersecurity stocks...
As trust collapses, companies are racing to rebuild it. Biometrics and blockchain-based identification systems may become the norm for online businesses – like Sam Altman's World crypto, which ties biometric data to a digital registry.
But even as solutions emerge, fake experts and misinformation will flourish...
This is an alarming concept. But it's bullish for one industry: legacy media brands.
We'll likely see a rising premium on reporting standards, judgment, and expertise.
It may even spill into the physical world...
As web interactions become less reliable, in-person presence becomes more valuable. Face-to-face meetings could soon become the ultimate proof of identity. That would lead to an air travel boom... and soaring airline stocks.
The zero-trust online future will look very different from the web we know today.
But this shift isn't just about investing themes. It's also personal...
That's why I encourage you to protect yourself and your family by adopting a simple verbal passphrase. Anytime you make a sensitive request over the Internet or phone, use these passphrases to prove your identity.
It may sound overly cautious. But in a world where anyone's voice or face can be faked, simple safeguards matter.
The golden age of scamming is here... But you don't have to be a victim.
Take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones today. And position your portfolio for a world where trust is no longer free.
Good investing,
Sean Michael Cummings
Further Reading
Four years ago, Wall Street viewed Amazon's Alexa assistant as a billion-dollar mistake. But that same "failure" has helped Amazon reemerge as an AI leader today. It wasn't wrong with Alexa... It was just early to this emerging AI trend.
Leading engineers have been quietly leaving established firms for small AI startups for years. That's an important signal for investors. By choosing to leave, the talent is telling you where the future is headed.
Market Notes
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Morgan Stanley (MS)... financial giant
Goldman Sachs (GS)... financial giant
Charles Schwab (SCHW)... brokerage services
Nasdaq (NDAQ)... stock exchanges
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)... health titan
Analog Devices (ADI)... semiconductors
Madison Square Garden Sports (MSGS)... pro sports teams
Hershey (HSY)... elite chocolatier
Ross Stores (ROST)... discount retail
Cummins (CMI)... diesel engines
Caterpillar (CAT)... construction giant
Rocket Lab (RKLB)... aerospace
Royal Gold (RGLD)... gold royalties
Franco-Nevada (FNV)... gold
Baker Hughes (BKR)... energy
Cameco (CCJ)... uranium
Lockheed Martin (LMT)... aerospace and defense
General Dynamics (GD)... "offense" contractor
Northrop Grumman (NOC)... "offense" contractor
NEW LOWS OF NOTE LAST WEEK
DocuSign (DOCU)... electronic signatures
The Trade Desk (TTD)... digital advertising
Adobe (ADBE)... cloud services
GoDaddy (GDDY)... website hosting
Monday.com (MNDY)... software developer
SentinelOne (S)... cybersecurity
Duolingo (DUOL)... language-learning app
Charter Communications (CHTR)... cable TV
T-Mobile (TMUS)... telecom
Thomson Reuters (TRI)... media, finance, and more
Ferrari (RACE)... luxury cars