Services Australia voiceprint system fooled by AI voice clone
A Guardian Australia investigation found that the voiceprint system used by Services Australia's Centrelink and the Australian Taxation Office can be bypassed using an AI-generated voice clone. A journalist created a clone of their own voice from four minutes of audio and used it with a customer reference number to access their Centrelink self-service account. The system is used by millions of Australians for identity verification over the phone. Services Australia stated that it continually assesses risks and applies additional tests if unusual circumstances are detected, but did not commit to changing the technology.
- Company involved
- Services Australia
- AI system involved
- Voiceprint
1 source article · read the reporting →
Guernsey Deputy Targeted in AI-Generated Investment Scam
Scammers used AI-generated video and fake press reports to impersonate Guernsey's senior politician, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, falsely showing her endorsing a non-existent government investment scheme. The deputy warned the public on social media not to fall for the scam, which contained a typo referring to her as 'Mr.' No financial losses have been reported, but the incident is part of a series of scams using recognisable local figures and media.
3 source articles · read the reporting →
AI deepfakes of Swedish doctors used in fraud campaign
Scammers are using AI-generated videos of well-known Swedish doctors, including Anders Tegnell and Agnes Wold, to trick people into providing credit card details. The fake advertisements feature the doctors' likenesses without consent. Agnes Wold called the practice 'disgusting'. The fraud targets Swedes online.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
In re Marla C. Martin (N.D. Illinois (Bankruptcy)): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Sanction of $5,500 and mandatory AI education
Generated fake case citations used in a legal brief, misleading the court and opposing parties.
- Company involved
- Semrad
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
1 source article · read the reporting →
Claude Code deletes developer's production database and snapshots
Alexey Grigorev used Claude Code to manage infrastructure with Terraform for his websites AI Shipping Labs and DataTalks.Club. Due to a missing state file and over-reliance on the AI agent, Claude executed a destroy command that wiped the production setup, including a database with 2.5 years of records and snapshots. Amazon Business support helped restore the data within a day. Grigorev is now implementing safeguards to prevent recurrence.
- Company involved
- AI Shipping Labs
- AI system involved
- Claude Code
2 source articles · read the reporting →
FMA Warns of Deepfake Impersonation Scam Targeting Kiwi Investors
The New Zealand Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has warned that a pump-and-dump scam using deepfake ads impersonating business leaders is targeting Kiwi investors. Victims are lured into WhatsApp groups via social media ads and encouraged to buy low-value shares, artificially inflating prices before scammers sell, leaving investors with losses. The FMA has received multiple complaints and is sharing information with overseas regulators, while urging the public to be cautious of unsolicited investment advice.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Sky Gold subsidiary loses Rs 10.70 crore in deepfake scam
Starmangalsutra Private Limited, a subsidiary of Sky Gold and Diamonds, lost approximately Rs 10.70 crore after fraudsters used deepfake techniques to impersonate a director and trick an employee into transferring funds to unknown accounts. The incident was discovered on July 15, 2026, and the company reported it to cybercrime authorities and banks. Sky Gold stated there is no indication of broader IT system breaches.
- Company involved
- Starmangalsutra Private Limited
1 source article · read the reporting →
Martin Lewis warns of AI deepfake scam video depicting wife being beaten
Scammers created an AI-generated deepfake video of Martin Lewis's wife, BBC presenter Lara Lewington, being beaten up by an 'immigrant' to promote a fake 'Martin Lewis Quantum AI' investment scheme. The video was circulated on social media, causing distress to the couple and prompting worried messages from friends. Martin Lewis condemned the scammers and urged people to report the content, expressing no faith in social media firms to act. The UK's Online Safety Act, which includes rules on scam ads, has faced delays in implementation.
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Austin artist targeted in AI-powered Fat Joe impersonation scam
An aspiring artist in Austin, Texas, was contacted by a scammer using AI to impersonate rapper Fat Joe on a video call. The scammer requested money to play her music on the radio after she uploaded songs to a portal. The artist did not pay any money after realising it was a scam, which Fat Joe had warned about on social media. The Better Business Bureau stated that Texans lost over $2 million to impersonation scams in 2024.
- Company involved
- Better Business Bureau
1 source article · read the reporting →
Montenegro police warn of rising AI identity abuse in online fraud
Montenegrin police say AI is fuelling a rise in identity abuse by online fraudsters, using deepfake videos of public figures to promote bogus remedies and investment schemes. Surgeon and MP Vladimir Dobricanin found a manipulated video of himself apparently endorsing eyedrops and other products, while Bosnian fact-checkers reported similar misuse of statements to lure people into cryptocurrency scams. Victims reported 42 online scams in 2025 with financial losses of around 300,000 euros, but authorities say investigations are complex and often lengthy due to the use of servers abroad and encryption. Experts called for stronger technical capacities, international cooperation, and faster platform responses to tackle the problem.
- Company involved
- Limited Charm
- AI system involved
- Deepfake social media advertisements
1 source article · read the reporting →
Criminal gang used AI voice cloning of Bolivian Education Minister to defraud job seekers
A criminal gang in Bolivia used artificial intelligence to clone the voice of Education Minister Omar Veliz, then called victims offering jobs in the ministry in exchange for an initial payment of 3,500 bolivianos. At least 19 people were defrauded, with the gang collecting around 5 million bolivianos. Police arrested four people, including one who operated the voice cloning from prison. The accused face charges of fraud, concusión, and other crimes.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Inland Revenue warns of AI scam using commissioner's image
Scammers used AI-generated images and messaging to impersonate New Zealand's Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Peter Mersi, in social media ads inviting people to a fake crypto tax webinar. The ads aimed to trick people into giving personal information for identity theft or account access. Inland Revenue received over 3000 scam reports in three months and worked to have the ads removed, but they kept reappearing. The department warned the public about the increasing use of AI in investment scams.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
341 Malicious ClawHub Skills Found Stealing OpenClaw User Data
Security researchers discovered 341 malicious skills on ClawHub, a marketplace for the OpenClaw AI assistant. The skills tricked users into installing malware that steals API keys, credentials, and other sensitive data. OpenClaw's creator responded by adding a reporting feature that auto-hides skills after multiple reports.
- Company involved
- OpenClaw
- AI system involved
- OpenClaw
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Florida man nearly loses $1,900 in AI puppy scam
Dennis Morida of St. Petersburg, Florida, was scammed after his missing German Shepherd puppy Hazel was falsely reported as injured. A caller claiming to be a police sergeant sent an AI-generated image of Hazel on an operating table and demanded $1,900 for surgery. Morida paid via Zelle, but the dog returned home unharmed and his bank flagged the transaction as fraud, so he recovered the money.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Scammers use AI-generated fake Princess Leonor profiles on TikTok
Fraudsters are using artificial intelligence to create fake TikTok profiles of Spain's Princess Leonor. These accounts promise financial aid to victims, often from Latin America, but demand escalating fees for taxes or legal costs. Spain's National Police Cybercrime Unit has advised the public to be cautious and verify the authenticity of accounts. The scam exploits TikTok's recommendation algorithm, which amplifies the fraudulent content to millions of viewers.
- Company involved
- TikTok
- AI system involved
- TikTok recommendation algorithm
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Fraudsters use AI voice deepfake to trick UK energy firm CEO into transferring $243,000
In March 2019, criminals used commercially available AI voice-generation software to impersonate the CEO of a German parent company. They tricked the CEO of a UK-based energy firm into urgently wiring $243,000 to a Hungarian supplier. The fraud was discovered when the fraudsters attempted a second transfer, which the CEO refused. The company was insured and the loss was covered.
- Company involved
- Unnamed UK-based energy firm
- AI system involved
- Commercially available voice-generating AI software
10 source articles · read the reporting →
SEC warns public of deep fake investment scams featuring Lance Gokongwei
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) warned the public that scammers are using deep fake videos and audio of Lance Gokongwei to endorse fraudulent investment schemes. The manipulated media circulate on social media, deceiving people into investing in a platform registered in Cyprus. Victims are asked to provide credit card details and OTPs, then lose contact when attempting to withdraw funds. The SEC advises the public to verify investment offers with the agency.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
California regulator accuses Maxpread Technologies of using AI-generated fake CEO to scam investors
Maxpread Technologies allegedly used an AI-generated avatar to pose as its CEO in a YouTube video to deceive investors. The California DFPI issued cease and desist letters to Maxpread and four other companies for offering unqualified securities and making false promises. The regulator claims the companies promised high daily returns using AI trading, but these claims were false. Maxpread did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Maxpread Technologies
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Face recognition bypass used to register shell companies for tax fraud in Shanghai
In a major tax fraud case in Shanghai, criminals used face recognition cracking techniques to register shell companies on government platforms. They purchased high-resolution photos and used apps to create fake videos, then used modified phones to bypass face recognition authentication. The scheme resulted in fraudulent invoices totaling over 500 million yuan. The case was prosecuted by the Shanghai procuratorate.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
AI-powered scam sent to Daniel Handford
Daniel Handford received a scam that used AI to appear more convincing. He tweeted about it to Martin Lewis, who said he had seen similar scams. The scam involved AI-generated content, possibly deepfake video or voice.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
In re Rosslyn2016, LLC, et al. (S.D. Texas (Bankruptcy)): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, CLE on generative AI; Civil Contempt;…
The AI generated fabricated legal citations that were submitted to the bankruptcy court.
1 source article · read the reporting →
California EDD's automated fraud detection wrongly suspended 600,000 legitimate unemployment claims
In January 2021, the California Employment Development Department used Thompson Reuters automated batch review software to flag 1.1 million unemployment claims as potentially fraudulent. EDD stopped payments on those claims without prior notice. Later, over 600,000 were confirmed as legitimate after claimants used ID.me to verify their identity. The incident highlights the trade-off between fraud prevention and timely benefit access.
- Company involved
- California Employment Development Department (EDD)
- AI system involved
- Thompson Reuters Automated Batch Review
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Spanish police bust $20M AI-powered investment scam
Spanish law enforcement, collaborating with international authorities, dismantled a $20 million investment scam that used AI-driven algorithms to deceive individuals and organizations. Six suspects were detained and assets, including luxury cars and cryptocurrency, were seized. The article does not report any compensation for victims.
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Swedish welfare agency's AI system flags marginalized groups for fraud investigations
Försäkringskassan, Sweden's Social Insurance Agency, uses an AI risk-scoring system to flag welfare applicants for fraud investigations. The system disproportionately targets women, individuals with foreign backgrounds, low-income earners, and those without university degrees, according to an investigation by Lighthouse Reports and Svenska Dagbladet. Amnesty International has called for the system to be discontinued, citing violations of the right to equality and non-discrimination.
- Company involved
- Försäkringskassan (Swedish Social Insurance Agency)
6 source articles · read the reporting →
