Another Richard Wilkins 'arrest' photo emerges after the Today star called the deepfake photos 'upsetting'
Another fake photo of Today star Richard Wilkins being 'arrested' has been circulating the internet.
The doctored image, showing the 69-year-old allegedly being led away by police, was doing the rounds on social media last week, with one X user reposting it and asking 'What even ARE these ads anymore?'
Below the image were the words 'His Career Ended'.
It's not the first time false images of Wilkins' 'arrest' have been spotted on social media, with the entertainment reporter calling out a viral Facebook post earlier this year.
In that instance, the Channel Nine presenter was seen being handcuffed by three cops in a viral image that was either Photoshopped or generated using artificial intelligence.
![Richard Wilkins has called out the 'disturbing' trend of AI-generated images after a fake photo of him being 'arrested' in a Sydney park was widely shared on Facebook](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/04/69319449-11922899-image-m-122_1680232738558.jpg)
Richard Wilkins has called out the 'disturbing' trend of AI-generated images after a fake photo of him being 'arrested' in a Sydney park was widely shared on Facebook
While the picture was clearly doctored, many social media users fell for it.
A visibly distressed Wilkins said in March that 'deepfake' photos involving celebrities may seem funny and harmless, but this one was no laughing matter for him.
He revealed on Today Extra he had received hundreds of messages 'from around the world' from fans who thought the arrest picture was genuine.
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/27/03/74761339-12449633-image-a-8_1693103037507.jpg)
![The Channel Nine presenter was seen being handcuffed by police officers in a viral image that was either Photoshopped or generated using artificial intelligence](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/04/69319445-11922899-image-a-125_1680232772743.jpg)
The Channel Nine presenter was seen being handcuffed by police officers in a viral image that was either Photoshopped or generated using artificial intelligence
He said the viral photo of his 'arrest' was particularly concerning because it formed part of an elaborate financial scam targeting vulnerable Facebook users.
After host Sylvia Jeffreys remarked her own mother had seen the photo and brought it to her attention, Wilkins said he had also been inundated with questions.
'I've had literally thousands of comments and messages from people around the world saying, 'Hey, what's going on?'' he said.
'And while most people think that it's dodgy and a fake, these things lead to other stuff. These lead to [web] links, and I've supposedly been sued by the Bank of Australia for giving incorrect financial advice.
'It's sending people links to where they can invest and stuff. The thought of someone losing [money] or investing in anything that I've supposedly recommended is what really upsets me.'
![A visibly distressed Wilkins (right, with Facebook Australia's former chief executive Stephen Scheeler) said on Friday that 'deepfake' photos involving celebrities may seem funny and harmless, but this one was no laughing matter for him](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/04/69319447-11922899-image-a-124_1680232766052.jpg)
A visibly distressed Wilkins (right, with Facebook Australia's former chief executive Stephen Scheeler) said on Friday that 'deepfake' photos involving celebrities may seem funny and harmless, but this one was no laughing matter for him
![After host Sylvia Jeffreys (right, with David Campbell) revealed her own mother had seen the photo and brought it to her attention, Wilkins said he had received hundreds of messages 'from around the world' from fans who thought the arrest picture was genuine](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/04/69319457-11922899-After_host_Sylvia_Jeffreys_right_with_David_Campbell_revealed_he-m-126_1680232866824.jpg)
After host Sylvia Jeffreys (right, with David Campbell) revealed her own mother had seen the photo and brought it to her attention, Wilkins said he had received hundreds of messages 'from around the world' from fans who thought the arrest picture was genuine
He continued: 'It's gone from being sort of mildly amusing to quite upsetting and quite disturbing really.'
Wilkins suspected he was targeted because 'in Australia I have a reasonably identifiable' face and any suggestion of him being involved in a scandal would 'become a feeding frenzy'.
'People have clearly got too much time on their hands to do this kind of stuff, because it does look real,' he added.
Stephen Scheeler, the former chief executive of Facebook Australia, said high-profile incidents of celebrity deepfakes were becoming increasingly common.
He warned the technology is becoming so advanced there are deepfake videos and voice clips circulating that are almost identical to the people they are impersonating.
'We are coming into a new era now where it's almost impossible for humans to tell the difference... and it's only going to get worse,' said Mr Scheeler.
Wilkins said Nine's legal department had flagged the AI images to Facebook's parent company Meta 'months ago' but nothing had been done.
Mr Scheeler suggested the problem was caused by insufficient human resources at social media companies to deal with scams and false information.
'My experience at social media platforms is they are full of good people, but there are only so many of them and their platforms are so gigantic,' he said.
It comes after Wilkins spoke to 2GB's Ben Fordham Live about the fake arrest image on Thursday morning.
'I don't know what to do about it. This has been going on for some time,' he said.
'It never happened. It's complete BS. The thought of anyone investing in anything because I was recommending it is quite disturbing, and I'd hate to think that was happening,' he added.
![Wilkins (right, with his son Christian) has called in the lawyers over the fake arrest photo](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/30/03/69271155-11918079-Richard_Wilkins_68_right_has_broken_his_silence_on_the_viral_pho-a-65_1680142776353.jpg)
Wilkins (right, with his son Christian) has called in the lawyers over the fake arrest photo
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