The National Cyber Authority issued an urgent warning on Sunday about a new phishing scam circulating on social media that uses deepfake technology to impersonate Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi David Yosef.
According to the Authority, the fraudulent campaign features manipulated videos that appear to show Rabbi Yosef endorsing a medical product. Officials stressed that the rabbi has no connection to either the videos or the product being advertised.
Authorities said the videos direct viewers to fake websites designed to imitate legitimate pages in order to steal personal information and payment details from users.
Cyber officials described the operation as a sophisticated fraud attempt that exploits the chief rabbi’s public standing to gain the trust of potential victims. The public was urged to remain vigilant and avoid engaging with suspicious content shared online.
The National Cyber Authority advised citizens to treat videos featuring well-known public figures with caution and to verify whether such content originates from official and reliable sources.
The agency also warned the public not to click on links embedded in videos, comments, or accompanying messages, and not to provide personal or credit card information on unfamiliar websites.
Consumers were further advised to verify that any medical product is being sold through an official and recognized platform before making a purchase. In cases of uncertainty, officials recommended stopping the process and consulting an authorized source.
The National Cyber Authority called on anyone who encounters similar fake videos to report them immediately to the relevant social media platform and to the Authority’s 119 hotline in order to help prevent the spread of the fraudulent content.