Where automated decisions went wrong

Crisis Text Line shares data with for-profit spinoff Loris.ai

Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit mental health support service, uses an AI-driven chat system to collect data from conversations with people in distress. The organization shares anonymized data with its for-profit spinoff, Loris.ai, which uses it to develop customer service software. Critics raise ethical concerns about privacy and consent, though Crisis Text Line asserts the data is stripped of identifying details.

Company involved

Crisis Text Line

AI system involved

Crisis Text Line's AI-driven chat service

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国内ベンチャー企業A社、AIなりすまし面談で実在エンジニアになりすまされる

A domestic Japanese logistics SaaS venture, referred to as Company A, conducted an online casual interview for an engineer role on 4 March 2026. An applicant used AI-generated video to impersonate a real engineer, Yoshii Kenbun, whose CV details had been submitted without his knowledge. The interviewer noticed discrepancies in language ability and unnatural video, and the company confirmed with Yoshii that he had not applied or attended. Company A and Yoshii publicised the incident on X the next day.

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CFPB fines General Information Services for inaccurate background checks

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau took action against General Information Services and its affiliate e-Background-checks.com for failing to ensure the accuracy of employment background screening reports. The companies allegedly provided inaccurate criminal history information to employers, potentially affecting job applicants' eligibility and causing reputational harm. The CFPB ordered the companies to provide $10.5 million in relief to harmed consumers and pay a $2.5 million penalty.

Company involved

General Information Services

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Calcutta High Court questions ChatGPT exclusion of IndiaMART from search results

IndiaMART, an Indian B2B online marketplace, has petitioned the Calcutta High Court alleging that ChatGPT deliberately excluded it from search results. The company claims the exclusion was based on a United States Trade Representative report and caused loss of goodwill, reputation and commercial injury. The court observed there appeared to be selective discrimination but declined to pass interim orders before hearing the other side. The matter is listed for 13 January 2026.

Company involved

OpenAI

AI system involved

ChatGPT

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FinTech and traditional lenders discriminate against minority borrowers in mortgage pricing

A study of mortgage lending from 2012-2018 found that Latinx and African-American borrowers were charged higher interest rates than white borrowers with similar credit risk. FinTech algorithms reduced the disparity by 40% but did not eliminate it. The discrimination costs minority borrowers an estimated $765 million per year in extra interest.

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Google sues Chinese gang over AI-powered fraud targeting Americans

Google has filed a lawsuit against a Chinese cybercrime group called Outsider Enterprise, alleging it used Google's Gemini AI to create hundreds of fake websites impersonating companies and government services. The group allegedly sent millions of phishing messages to Android users, defrauding hundreds of thousands of Americans of millions of dollars. Google is coordinating with the FBI and wireless carriers to dismantle the network. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, seeks an injunction to take down the operation.

Company involved

Outsider Enterprise

AI system involved

Gemini

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Nippon Life Sues OpenAI Alleging ChatGPT Engaged in Unauthorized Practice of Law

Nippon Life Insurance Company of America filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT acted as an unlicensed attorney by advising a former disability claimant to reopen a settled case and drafting dozens of meritless motions. The insurer claims the AI's actions constitute unauthorized practice of law under Illinois statute and seeks $300,000 in compensatory damages. OpenAI has denied the allegations, calling the complaint meritless. The case is pending in federal court in Chicago.

Company involved

OpenAI

AI system involved

ChatGPT

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Companies face AI deepfake job candidates for remote roles

US companies report a surge in fake job seekers using generative AI tools to fabricate identities, employment histories, and conduct deepfake video interviews for remote positions. Cybersecurity firms Pindrop and CAT Labs, along with BrightHire, describe incidents where scammers, including North Korean operatives, attempted to gain employment to install malware, demand ransoms, steal data, or collect salaries fraudulently. One candidate, 'Ivan X', was detected by Pindrop's video authentication tool after a recruiter noticed his facial expressions were out of sync with his words.

Company involved

Pindrop Security

AI system involved

video authentication program

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UDR Sued Over Alleged Use of RealPage Algorithm to Set Rents in San Diego

A class action lawsuit alleges that UDR, Inc. used RealPage's YieldStar algorithmic pricing software to set rental rates and occupancy levels for its San Diego properties, in violation of a local ordinance. The suit claims the software relied on nonpublic competitor data, contributing to inflated rents and making housing less affordable. The lawsuit, filed in July 2026, seeks to represent all affected tenants. UDR has previously acknowledged using YieldStar as one tool among others in its decision-making.

Company involved

UDR, Inc.

AI system involved

RealPage YieldStar

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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.

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Google AI Overviews provide inaccurate finance information in 43% of searches

A study by The College Investor found that Google's AI Overviews provided misleading or inaccurate information in 43% of 100 personal finance-related searches. The AI-generated answers included outdated tax rules and incorrect student loan repayment plan details. One user believed she could convert her 529 plan to a Roth IRA in California, which is not allowed. Google has not responded to requests for comment.

Company involved

Google

AI system involved

AI Overviews

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DeepScore markets facial and voice analysis app for trustworthiness scoring despite experts' doubts

DeepScore, a Tokyo-based company, is marketing an app that uses facial and voice recognition to score people's trustworthiness for lenders and insurers in Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. The company says the app can detect deception with 70 per cent accuracy, but researchers and privacy advocates say there is no reliable scientific basis for such judgments and warn of discrimination and privacy harms. The chief executive said the system is only one part of lenders' and insurers' decision-making and that people can choose not to use it. Critics respond that an unequal balance of power makes consent difficult.

Company involved

DeepScore

AI system involved

DeepScore

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Facebook Allowed Age-Targeted Credit Card Ads Violating Its Policy

The Markup found that four companies—Aspiration, Hometap, Chime, and Varo Bank—ran Facebook ads for credit cards and home equity loans that were targeted by age, excluding users under 25 or 35. This practice violates Facebook's own anti-discrimination policy and may violate the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment, and some advertisers said they would review their ad targeting.

Company involved

Facebook

AI system involved

Facebook Ad Platform

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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

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LoanDepot algorithm denied mortgage to Black couple in Charlotte

In August 2019, Crystal Marie and Eskias McDaniels, a Black couple, were denied a mortgage for a house in Charlotte, North Carolina, by loanDepot's automated underwriting algorithm. The algorithm rejected the application because Crystal Marie was a contractor, not a full-time employee, despite her high credit score and income. After the couple enlisted their real estate agent and employer to intervene, the lender reversed the decision and cleared them to close. The couple alleged that race played a role in the denial, which loanDepot denied.

Company involved

loanDepot

AI system involved

Classic FICO and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac automated underwriting software

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UnitedHealthcare sued for using AI to deny Medicare Advantage patients care

A class action complaint alleges that UnitedHealthcare and its subsidiary naviHealth deployed an artificial intelligence model to override treating physicians' determinations of medically necessary care for elderly Medicare Advantage patients. The complaint claims the AI model has a known 90% error rate and wrongfully denied patients care. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, seeks damages on behalf of the estates of two deceased patients and all others similarly situated.

Company involved

UnitedHealthcare, Inc.

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ScaleFactor reportedly failed to deliver promised automated bookkeeping software

ScaleFactor, an Austin-based startup, is reported to have failed to deliver the automated, real-time bookkeeping tools it promised customers, instead relying on human bookkeepers and a Filipino contract accounting firm. The company told Forbes in June that it was shutting down, initially blaming the pandemic, but Forbes later reported that its problems predated Covid-19. Investors reportedly came to see the company as more of a services business than a software platform, and pulled funding after a pivot to a marketplace model. No legal or regulatory action is reported.

Company involved

ScaleFactor

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UnitedHealth used ALERT algorithm to limit mental health coverage, regulators found

ProPublica reports that UnitedHealth Group's Optum subsidiary used the ALERT algorithm to flag mental health patients and therapists as outliers, leading to therapy coverage denials. Regulators in California, Massachusetts and New York alleged this breached the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and UnitedHealth agreed to restrict the system in those jurisdictions. The company denies wrongdoing and says its programmes are compliant. Affected patients, including Medicaid enrollees, were left to pay out-of-pocket or go without care.

Company involved

UnitedHealth Group

AI system involved

ALERT

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Good Daily operates AI-generated local news network without disclosure

Good Daily Inc., run by Matthew Henderson, operates hundreds of AI-generated local newsletters across the U.S. that aggregate and summarize news from local outlets. The newsletters use large language models without disclosing this to subscribers, and feature fabricated testimonials. Some readers reported being signed up without their consent. Local news outlets have criticized the network for not driving meaningful traffic and for undermining trust.

Company involved

Good Daily Inc.

AI system involved

Good Daily

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FTC settles with DoNotPay over deceptive AI lawyer claims

The FTC took action against DoNotPay, a company that claimed to offer an AI service that was 'the world's first robot lawyer.' The company promised to generate legal documents and replace human lawyers, but the FTC alleged it failed to test its AI output and did not hire any attorneys. DoNotPay agreed to a settlement requiring it to pay $193,000 and notify consumers about the limitations of its service.

Company involved

DoNotPay

AI system involved

DoNotPay

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EvenUp AI errors in personal injury demand letters lead to scrutiny

EvenUp, a legal tech startup valued at $1 billion, uses AI to draft personal injury demand letters. Former employees revealed that the AI system frequently makes errors, including missing injuries and fabricating medical conditions. The company defends its hybrid approach with human oversight, but critics allege overpromised AI capabilities.

Company involved

EvenUp

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Is Your AI Chatbot Snitching? A New Lawsuit Alleges This Company Shared Data With Tech Giants - inc.com

The AI chatbot shared user data with tech giants.

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Voice actors sue LOVO over alleged theft of voices for AI training

Voice actors Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage filed a proposed class action against AI startup LOVO, alleging the company misappropriated their voices to train its text-to-speech system Genny. The actors claim they were hired on Fiverr under the pretence of academic research but later discovered their voices were used commercially without consent. Lehrman reports a 50% decline in work and loss of control over how his voice is used. The lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, seeks to represent other affected voiceover artists and obtain a court order blocking the practice.

Company involved

LOVO

AI system involved

Genny

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Record labels sue AI music companies Suno and Udio for copyright infringement

Major record labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Records, represented by the RIAA, have filed lawsuits against AI music companies Suno and Udio. The lawsuits allege that the companies used copyrighted sound recordings without permission to train their generative AI models, which can produce songs that imitate known artists. The RIAA is seeking damages of up to $150,000 per work. The companies have denied the allegations, with Suno's CEO stating that their technology generates new outputs and does not allow prompts based on specific artists.

Company involved

Suno and Udio

AI system involved

Suno and Udio

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