AKD Securities Limited has warned investors and the general public about fraudulent social media accounts and artificial intelligence-generated deepfake videos that are allegedly using the identities of senior AKD Group executives to promote unauthorised investment schemes. The brokerage said unidentified individuals and groups are using the name, photographs and voices of AKD Group Chairman Aqeel Karim Dhedhi and AKD Securities Chairperson Hina Junaid in fabricated online content to solicit funds from members of the public. The company has taken the matter to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), seeking an investigation into those responsible and action against the fraudulent content.
In a disclosure submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan on September 28, AKD Securities said fake accounts and pages had been created on social media platforms, including Facebook and potentially other online platforms. According to the company, the fraudulent material uses artificial intelligence-generated or deepfake videos featuring the identities of Dhedhi and Junaid. The content allegedly promotes fake and unauthorised investment schemes or advisory services involving investments in listed securities and stocks, creating the impression that the activities are connected with AKD Securities or its senior management.
AKD Securities has categorically rejected any association with the fraudulent accounts, content, callers, websites or applications being used to promote these investment-related claims. The company said neither Aqeel Karim Dhedhi nor Hina Junaid, AKD Securities itself, nor any other entity within the AKD Group has launched, endorsed, sponsored, authorised or otherwise been associated with the investment schemes, platforms, pages, accounts or groups involved in the activity. The clarification is intended to distinguish the company’s official investment and securities-related services from unauthorised solicitations circulating through online channels.
The brokerage said it had already initiated legal measures against the individuals and groups involved in the alleged impersonation campaign. It filed a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency on September 16, requesting that the relevant authorities investigate the matter and register a case against those responsible. AKD Securities also asked the agency to take steps to remove or block the fraudulent material from the platforms where it has appeared. The company’s action comes as the use of artificial intelligence-generated media creates additional challenges for businesses and investors seeking to verify whether online videos, voices and other digital material are authentic.
Alongside the complaint, AKD Securities said it had published a public caution notice on its official website to alert stakeholders about the fraudulent activity. The brokerage urged investors and members of the public to exercise caution when encountering investment-related messages, calls, videos or online accounts claiming to represent the company or its executives. The warning specifically concerns unauthorised content and communications that could persuade individuals to transfer funds or participate in investment arrangements that have not been approved by the company.
AKD Securities further stated that it is the only authorised entity within the AKD Group for information and services relating to listed securities. The company said its official announcements and communications are issued through its established communication channels and the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Investors are therefore being advised to distinguish between communications released through these recognised channels and investment offers or advisory claims circulating through unverified social media accounts, websites, applications or direct calls.
The incident highlights the growing use of artificial intelligence-generated material in online impersonation and financial fraud. Deepfake technology can be used to create manipulated video and audio content that appears to feature real individuals, potentially making fraudulent investment promotions more difficult for members of the public to identify. In this case, AKD Securities has specifically warned that the identities of two senior executives are being used without authorisation in content seeking funds for purported investment activities.
AKD Securities has requested that its latest disclosure be placed on record and circulated through the Pakistan Stock Exchange’s information system to raise awareness among investors and market participants. The company’s warning remains focused on unauthorised investment promotions using its executives’ identities and does not represent an endorsement of any of the schemes or platforms appearing in the fraudulent material. Investors encountering such communications are being urged to verify information through AKD Securities’ official communication channels and the Pakistan Stock Exchange before taking any action involving funds or investments.
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