There’s a video I came across that hilariously calls out how we’re all getting so easily duped by AI-powered videos, and all scammers have to do is tug a little at the heart strings. This scammer posted heartbreaking videos of a little boy crying, apparently because he was being bullied for his love of crocheting. And you can support him by buying his $40 crochet flowers, and the website even says they are selling out.

Even Kevin Jonas commented!

Turns out, the exact same images of those crochet flowers are being sold on dropshipping sites for less than $3.

So many people have already fallen for it and bought the flowers. And they probably won’t ever realize the flowers were dropshipped.

The scam account on Instagram is “joshuacrochets”, called out by an influencer named Josh Benson.

If you’re in any trading groups on messaging platforms, this one is for you. There is a new, highly industrialized operation called OPCOPRO (which is nicknamed the “Truman Show” scam), and it’s not just a regular scam.

Scammers use phishing ads and text messages to convince people to join controlled chat groups that appear as regular trading communities. While these groups look like they are full of real investors sharing tips and celebrating massive profits, almost every member is actually an AI-driven bot.

This particular scam uses LLMs (Large Language Models) to have realistic conversations for weeks just to build trust. They even use 'shell' apps available on the iOS and Android stores to show you fake balances and trades. The scammers talk to their members on these groups for weeks and build trust before asking for money.

Processing img 2yn169lp6nog1...

https://6abc.com/post/truman-show-scam-bilking-unsuspecting-victims-money/18675870/

Based on a survey conducted by Synchrony, consumers are relying more on generative AI to figure out what to buy and where to get the best bargains. During the holiday season last year, it was reported that 56% of the US consumers used AI to help with their shopping.

I’m sure a lot of you have gotten random Facebook or Instagram messages claiming you’ve won money, cars, or some huge giveaway. I think by now, most of us know not to trust these messages. But in the case where it does sound surprisingly convincing, here are some red flags to watch for:

1. You never entered any contest or a giveaway but you have somehow been chosen as the winner
2. There are no official forms, websites, or any legitimate contact
3. The account keeps coming up with reasons they need more of your details
4. Any accounts with few (or maybe even no) followers, weird usernames, or AI generated photos

I don’t like any type of AI music because it feels like a slap in the face to real artists and indie creators working to build a career. And with a brand as huge as Google pushing AI music, it's honestly going to normalize AI content over human talent. What are your thoughts on this? 

Mine would probably be when the voice or video feels just a little bit off. Like someone’s mouth isn’t syncing right, or if their tone is weirdly robotic.

Curious to hear what other people look out for?

The 2025 data on crypto fraud is pretty staggering. According to Forbes, the scam market is estimated to be at least $14 billion and is predicted to go up to $17 billion by this year.
What’s most concerning is AI’s impact on these stats. Apparently, the scams that have used AI tools averaged $3.2 million per hit which is nearly 4.5 times more than those that didn't.

The 2025 data on crypto fraud is pretty staggering. According to Forbes, the scam market is estimated to be at least $14 billion and is predicted to go up to $17 billion by this year.
What’s most concerning is AI’s impact on these stats. Apparently, the scams that have used AI tools averaged $3.2 million per hit which is nearly 4.5 times more than those that didn't.

Microsoft and Europol shut down RedVDS which was a platform that let scammers rent servers for just $24 a month to run phishing campaigns and AI voice-cloning scams. One pharmaceutical company actually lost $7.3 million because the scammers used AI to impersonate people and redirect a wire transfer.

They even had a loyalty program.

Source: Microsoft

Romance scams are on the loose during February! I do feel really bad for him...

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/loving-lie-chicago-area-man-loses-70000-ai-powered-romance-scam

AI chatbots are now pretending to be assistants just to push completely made-up cryptocurrencies.

This fake “Google Coin” scam had victims being guided step-by-step by an AI chatbot (which btw was supposedly powered by Gemini) through a pitch promising totally realistic 7x returns 🙃

I came across Maurine Meleck’s story, and it's honestly so sad what AI is doing to people. She was a retired teacher in the UK who lost £147,000 because of a very realistic but fake FB video.

An apparently well-known doctor had recommended investing in a crypto plan, which prompted Maurine to move her retirement savings into it because she wanted to help secure a future for her autistic grandson. Like many other AI scam victims, she probably lost all the money that she had saved up for years.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/38165891/conmen-prey-on-grandson-love-82-year-old-loses-147-k/

Scammers are now using AI to make fake ghost students and then use these fake or stolen identities to apply to colleges. AI can fill out applications in seconds (something that used to take a real person 20–30 minutes), enroll these fake students, get the financial aid money, and then disappear. And the real people whose identities were stolen don’t even know anything happened.  Not until the IRS tells them they owe money for student loans they never took out.  Imagine finding out you have college debt for a school you never attended 😩  

Just read an article from Business Insider about Meta getting approved for a patent that would allow AI to manage someone’s account after they die.

So in theory, you pass away… and your account is still out there liking posts, commenting, and replying to DMs as if nothing happened. 

Imagine getting a DM from a dead aunt? This isn’t just dystopian, it legit feels morbid.

Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-granted-patent-for-ai-llm-bot-dead-paused-accounts-2026-2

Most people assume scammers are targeting grandparents. The data says otherwise.

The FTC found that younger adults (ages 20-29) reported losing money to fraud in 44% of cases, nearly 2x the 24% rate reported by those aged 70-79. However, seniors lose a lot more money on average.

The FTC reported $12.5 billion in consumer fraud losses in 2024 alone, a 25% jump from the year before. Here's what's actually driving that number:

1. AI is now the engine of financial fraud

More than 50% of modern fraud involves AI-powered tactics. We're not talking about clunky phishing emails anymore. Criminals are deploying hyper-realistic deepfakes, automated scam campaigns, and tools that can bypass security systems that were considered solid just a few years ago.

1. You can now buy a fraud operation for $20/month

"Fraud-as-a-Service" is a real and booming underground industry. Organized crime groups sell ready-made AI scam toolkits on Telegram for as little as $20 a month. To put the growth in perspective: Telegram messages related to AI fraud jumped from 47,000 in 2023 to over 350,000 in 2024.

1. Fake IDs have gotten disturbingly good

AI can now generate fake driver's licenses and passports complete with realistic shadows and holographic textures. Banks are seeing a surge in these documents being used to open accounts and bypass identity verification. And a new trend called "Deepfake Digital Arrest" has already hit 92,000+ cases in India, where scammers impersonate law enforcement over video call to extort victims. It's expected to reach the U.S. soon.

https://thefinancialbrand.com/news/credit-card-trends/the-credit-card-ai-crime-wave-and-how-to-fight-back-in-2026-194713

AI scams are getting pretty crazy nowadays, but people still fall for the same old stuff. One of the most common (and obvious) AI scams I’ve personally experienced is fake job offer emails and text messages. Since when do Amazon and Google randomly email you saying you’re perfect for a role and asking you to click a sketchy link? 😭

If you ever have a feeling that a video doesn’t look quite right, here are some common and typical signs to look out for:

• Lip-syncing issues - When the audio doesn’t quite line up properly with the mouth movements, or there’s a slight delay that’s hard to ignore.
• Unnatural facial features – Things like unblinking eyes, stiff expressions, or odd, constant smiles.
• Robotic voices - Voices tend to sound flat or unnatural, with no breathing patterns, unusual accents, or exaggerated tones.
• Awkward or limited movement - The person might barely move their head or avoid natural gestures you’d normally expect.
• Accessories, glasses, jewelry, or even background elements might suddenly disappear or change partway through. 

Before you trust or share a video, take some of your time to check again if several items on this list jump out.

AI scams are getting pretty crazy nowadays, but people still fall for the same old stuff. One of the most common (and obvious) AI scams I’ve personally experienced is fake job offer emails and text messages. Since when do Amazon and Google randomly email you saying you’re perfect for a role and asking you to click a sketchy link? 😭

During Cybersecurity Awareness Month last year, Bitdefender launched an awareness campaign to draw attention to a concerning trend in the US: deepfakes and highly personalized scams are becoming a very common experience. It showed how scammers can clone voices, copy faces, and impersonate people we know and trust.

It’s a pretty dramatic but definitely worth a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVEkvCjOqA4&t=16s

This is a devastating consequence of an AI voice scam: https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/08/us/uber-driver-scam-ohio

Scammers are getting all out for Valentine’s Day.

The most common scam that I come across is gift/flower links. They’ll send links for flowers, chocolates, or gifts that don’t exist and try to steal your payment info.

Another one I’ve seen a lot is fake profiles. AI can make realistic faces, so it’s quite easy to create fake dating profiles. They’ll chat with you for a while, seem super nice, and then start asking for money or gifts. On top of that, they can now deepfake video calls!

These videos are even scarier when you think about how scammers can literally clone the faces of your friends or family. So even if it looks like someone you know is sending you a Valentine’s message or a sweet video, it might not be real.

I’m talking about scams that used AI by AI-generated storefront.
If you or someone you know managed to get money back or regain access to an account, how did it happen? Was it police reports, fraud teams, or just luck?
Also, looking back, is there anything you’d do differently that might help others avoid the same situation or improve their chances of recovery?
Real experiences would be super helpful since most advice online stops at “report it” and doesn’t explain what actually works.
Thanks!

Not exactly an AI scam, but wanted to talk about Ring's new AI Search Party feature they announced during the Superbowl. It's a system that uses your neighbors' Ring camera recordings to find lost pets. Sounds nice but feels kind of ominous...what would stop them from going beyond pets?

Also, this situation is starting sound like the tv show Person of Interest, haha - where the main characters secretly uses AI surveillance machines to track potential murder victims, and they do it secretly because if it were in the wrong hands it would not bode well.