Cash aid scams target Malaysians with deepfake videos of royals

In a TikTok video on August 26, 2025, Malaysia's queen Raja Zarith Sofia appears to say: "I, Zarith Sofiah, want to convey that as Malaysia's Independence Day approaches, the government is providing special assistance for eligible citizens" (archived link).

Raja Zarith Sofia is the wife of Malaysia's current king, Sultan Ibrahim, who took the throne in 2024 under the country's unique constitutional monarchy system where nine state rulers who hail from centuries-old Islamic royalty take turns to rule every five years.

She appears to go on to say she has entrusted the scheme to "Datuk Abdul Zulaiman" and that people from eligible groups including low-income citizens, senior citizens and single mothers should reach out via WhatsApp.

Datuk is an honorary title used in Malaysia that has been conferred since 1965 by the king to respected public figures or elders (archived link).

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Screenshot of the false TikTok post captured on August 27, 2025, with a red X added by AFP

Similar clips also promised financial aid by impersonating other royal family members such as Sultan Ibrahim, the ruler of central Malaysia's Pahang state, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and his wife Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

Using information from the account's bio, AFP was directed to a WhatsApp account using the same profile image as the 'datukk_abdul_zulaiman' TikTok account.

The admin requested personal details, including full name, delivery address and bank account. Individuals were promised a cash aid of 50,000 ringgit (US$11,810) -- only after paying the registration fee of 200 ringgit (US$47).

AFP did not find any record a "Datuk Abdul Zulaiman" exists. 

Meanwhile, visual and audio inconsistencies such as unnatural blinking and mouth movements are telltale signs that the clips were manipulated using AI tools.

A reverse image and subsequent keyword search on Google found the circulating TikTok clip of Raja Zarith Sofia was altered using a photo of the queen uploaded to Sultan Ibrahim's official Facebook page on August 14 (archived link).

The post states the king dined with his family during Raja Zarith Sofia's birthday celebrations. It does not mention cash assistance from the royals.

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Screenshot comparison between the manipulated clip (left) and an image from Sultan Ibrahim's Facebook page (right)

The Royal Press Office has repeatedly issued statements warning about fabricated videos of the king and queen (archived links here and here).

On August 20, it rebuffed another now-deleted AI-generated video: "The public is advised to be vigilant and not be easily influenced by these fake accounts which are often used by 'scammers' for fraudulent purposes on social media platforms."

A spokesperson from the Royal Press Office told AFP on August 28 that their previous statement about the AI-generated clips remains valid.

The Pahang Palace also issued a statement in July warning against the misuse of Sultan Abdullah's likeness for "fraudulent and deceptive purposes" (archived link).

As of August 28, AFP found no credible reports about the king and Sultans offering financial grants to Malaysian citizens.