How to Spot a Deepfake Video in 2025

How do you spot a deepfake video? The direct answer: look for unnatural blinking, blurry edges around the face, lighting that doesn't match the environment, and glitches when the person moves quickly. But as deepfake technology improves, visual detection is getting harder - verification through other channels is increasingly important.

What Are Deepfakes?

Deepfakes are AI-generated videos that put someone's face onto another person's body, or manipulate what someone appears to say. The technology has advanced rapidly - what once required Hollywood budgets now runs on consumer hardware.

How They're Made

1. AI analyzes many photos/videos of the target person
2. A neural network learns to generate that person's face
3. The generated face is mapped onto another video
4. Audio can be cloned separately and synced

Why They're Dangerous

Scams: Fake celebrity endorsements for crypto and investments

Fraud: Impersonating executives for business email compromise

Misinformation: Fake political statements and news

Extortion: Creating compromising fake videos

Identity theft: Bypassing video verification systems

Visual Signs of Deepfakes

Face and Skin

Unnatural skin texture:

• Too smooth or "plasticky" appearance
• Inconsistent skin tone across the face
• Unusual pore patterns or lack thereof

Face edges:

• Blurry or wobbly boundaries between face and hair
• Visible seams where the fake face meets the real neck
• Inconsistent sharpness between face and background

Asymmetry issues:

• Earrings or glasses that don't match on both sides
• Facial features that shift position unnaturally

Use our [AI Deepfake Detector](/tools/ai-deepfake-detector) to analyze suspicious videos.

Eyes and Blinking

Blinking patterns:

• Too little blinking (early deepfakes didn't handle this well)
• Unnaturally synchronized or mechanical blinking
• Both eyes not moving together naturally

Eye reflections:

• Inconsistent reflections in each eye
• Reflections that don't match the environment
• Unusual catchlight patterns

Gaze:

• Eyes that don't quite focus on the right place
• Gaze that seems slightly "off"

Movement and Angles

Profile views:

• Deepfakes struggle with side angles
• Ask the person to turn their head 90 degrees
• Look for distortion when head rotates

Hands near face:

• Deepfakes often glitch when hands pass in front of face
• Fingers may merge or distort
• Wave a hand in front to test

Quick movements:

• Fast head turns cause artifacts
• Blurring or smearing during motion
• Face temporarily distorting

Lighting and Environment

Lighting mismatches:

• Face lighting doesn't match the room
• Shadows on face inconsistent with visible light sources
• Skin reflectivity doesn't match the environment

Background consistency:

• Edges between person and background shimmer
• Background seems more or less sharp than the face
• Unnatural separation between subject and environment

Audio Signs of Deepfakes

Voice Clues

Robotic undertones:

• Subtle mechanical quality to the voice
• Unnatural rhythm or cadence
• Unusual pauses or breathing patterns

Sync issues:

• Mouth movements slightly off from audio
• Words not matching lip shapes
• Audio slightly ahead or behind video

Emotional mismatch:

• Voice emotion doesn't match facial expression
• Unusual intonation patterns
• Flat delivery of emotional content

Background Audio

• Inconsistent room acoustics
• Echo patterns that don't match the visible space
• Unusual audio artifacts

How to Test Suspected Deepfakes

Quick Tests for Video Calls

If you suspect a live video call might be a deepfake:

1. Ask them to turn sideways - Show their profile view
2. Have them wave in front of their face - Hand movement causes glitches
3. Request they touch their face - Fingers near face often distort
4. Ask them to stand and move - Full body movement is harder to fake
5. Ask them to hold up today's newspaper - Time verification

For Pre-Recorded Videos

1. Slow it down - Artifacts are more visible at reduced speed
2. Watch frame by frame - Look for individual frame issues
3. Check official sources - Is this video on the person's verified accounts?
4. Reverse image search - Has this video been flagged elsewhere?
5. Use detection tools - Technical analysis can help

Verification Through Other Channels

The most reliable protection is verification:

• Call them directly on a known number
• Check official social media for confirmation
• Contact their organization through official channels
• Search news sources for legitimate reporting
• Be skeptical of viral content claiming to show celebrities or public figures

Common Deepfake Scams

Celebrity Investment Scams

Deepfake videos of celebrities promoting crypto or investment schemes are rampant. Red flags:

• Offers of guaranteed returns
• Pressure to invest quickly
• Requests for crypto payment
• Links to unfamiliar platforms

Protection: Real celebrities don't personally DM investment tips. Verify through official channels.

Executive Impersonation

Scammers use deepfakes to impersonate executives on video calls, requesting wire transfers or sensitive information.

Protection: Verify unusual requests through established protocols. Call back on known numbers.

Political Misinformation

Fake videos of politicians saying outrageous things spread before elections or during crises.

Protection: Check multiple reputable news sources. Official government channels confirm real statements.

Extortion Scams

Threatening to release fake compromising videos unless paid.

Protection: These are usually bluffs. Don't pay. Report to law enforcement.

Check our [AI Scam Detector](/tools/ai-scam-detector) if you've received suspicious communications.

Protecting Yourself

Reduce Your Deepfake Risk

• Limit public photos and videos when possible
• Make social media accounts private if you're concerned
• Vary where your face is clearly visible online
• Be cautious about who can access your images

Verify Before Acting

• Don't make financial decisions based on video alone
• Confirm identities through multiple channels
• Be especially skeptical of unexpected requests
• When in doubt, slow down and verify

Stay Informed

• Deepfake technology evolves constantly
• Today's detection methods may not work tomorrow
• Verification through other channels remains reliable
• Healthy skepticism is your best protection

The Bottom Line

Deepfakes are getting more convincing, but you can protect yourself:

1. Know the visual signs - Edges, blinking, lighting, movement
2. Test when suspicious - Profile views, hand movements, quick turns
3. Verify through other channels - Don't trust video alone
4. Be skeptical of viral content - Especially celebrity endorsements
5. Use tools - Our [AI Deepfake Detector](/tools/ai-deepfake-detector) can help analyze suspicious videos

The technology will keep improving, but verification through independent channels will always work. When something important is at stake, confirm through other means - don't rely solely on what you see.

Try our free [AI Deepfake Detector](/tools/ai-deepfake-detector) to analyze suspicious videos, and [AI Scam Detector](/tools/ai-scam-detector) if you've received communications you're unsure about.