The Bank of Italy issued a public warning about false images, videos and articles circulating online that unlawfully use the name and image of its Governor, Fabio Panetta, including content promoting investment platforms and likely aimed at committing fraud. The central bank stressed that the material is entirely fabricated and does not reflect reality. The Bank of Italy noted that some of the content is created using artificial intelligence “deepfake” techniques and portrays the Governor as participating in well-known television programmes or other media contexts. It has filed a complaint with the judicial authorities and advised the public to treat such messages with suspicion, not respond to any requests, and avoid sharing them, while relying on the Bank of Italy’s official website and institutional social media channels for authentic communications.
Bank of Italy 2026-02-26
Bank of Italy warns of deepfake content impersonating Governor Fabio Panetta and files complaint
The Bank of Italy has issued a warning about fraudulent online content using the name and image of Governor Fabio Panetta, including AI-generated "deepfake" media. The central bank emphasized that this material is fabricated and has filed a complaint with judicial authorities. The public is advised to rely on official channels for authentic communications and to disregard suspicious messages.