Kimsuky used ChatGPT to create fake military ID for phishing
The hacking group Kimsuky allegedly used ChatGPT to generate a counterfeit South Korean military identification card. This fake ID was used in a phishing email that contained links to malware designed to extract data from victims' devices. Targets included journalists, human rights activists and researchers. The incident highlights the growing misuse of AI for cybercrime.
- Company involved
- Kimsuky
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
6 source articles · read the reporting →
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
3 source articles · read the reporting →
West Virginia Couple Targeted in AI-Generated Real Estate Scam
Raegan Bartlo received an email on August 23, 2024, that appeared to be from her title company lawyer, instructing her to wire a $255,000 down payment for her new home. The email was part of a scam using generative AI to impersonate real estate professionals. Cybersecurity officials say such scams are occurring across the country, targeting homebuyers. The Bartlos were targets, but it is unclear if they lost any money.
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 →
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 →
Sugar and Dice loses money in AI voice scam
Sugar and Dice, a game and coffee store in Havre, Montana, was targeted by a phone scam using AI voice replication. An employee received a call that appeared to be from the store owner's number and heard a voice that sounded like the owner, who instructed him to follow fraudulent instructions. The employee complied, compromising the store's bank details and causing monetary losses. Store owner Kevin Zorn does not blame the employee and believes the business will recover.
- Company involved
- Sugar and Dice
1 source article · read the reporting →
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
1 source article · 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 →
Attempted deepfake CEO voicemail fraud against an unnamed technology company
An attacker used synthetic audio deepfake to leave a voicemail impersonating the CEO of a technology company, asking an employee to call back to finalize an urgent business deal. The employee found it suspicious and referred the matter to the legal department, avoiding any loss. Nisos analyzed the audio and found inconsistencies in pitch and tone.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Europol cracks down on network using deepfake ads for crypto fraud
Europol and national authorities in Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, and Israel arrested two people in November as part of a crackdown on a criminal network that used fraudulent online ads and AI-generated deepfake videos to lure victims into fake cryptocurrency investment platforms. The network allegedly laundered 700 million euros ($816 million) through the scheme, which Europol described as operating on an 'industrial' scale. The arrests were the second phase of an operation that had already led to nine arrests in October. The article does not name the suspects or firms targeted.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Art gallery owner loses business after AI deepfake scam impersonating Pierce Brosnan
Simone Simms, owner of a Nottingham art gallery, was deceived by scammers using AI deepfake technology to impersonate actor Pierce Brosnan. She exchanged messages and had video calls with the fake Brosnan, leading her to send £3,000 and organise an exhibition, selling £20,000 in tickets. After the real Brosnan issued a cease-and-desist, she refunded the tickets and was forced to close her gallery, losing her £30,000 business.
1 source article · read the reporting →
AI deepfake fraud dupes man into transferring $612,000
A man surnamed Guo, a legal representative of a technology company in Fuzhou, received a video call from someone impersonating his friend using AI to mimic the friend's face and voice. The fake friend asked Guo to transfer 4.3 million yuan to a bank account, claiming it was for a bid. Guo transferred the money and later discovered the fraud when he contacted his real friend. Police stopped part of the transfer and are investigating.
10 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 →
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 →
City analyst Michael Hewson cloned in AI deepfake scam on social media
A deepfake video using AI to impersonate City analyst Michael Hewson circulated on Facebook and Instagram, directing users to a WhatsApp group promising undervalued investments. The scam used fear-of-missing-out tactics to lure victims. Hewson publicly disavowed the video and reported it to Meta, expressing anger.
- Company involved
- Meta
4 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 →
OnlyFake site uses neural networks to generate fake IDs, bypasses OKX verification
An underground website called OnlyFake uses neural networks to generate realistic photos of fake IDs for $15. The journalist tested the service and obtained a convincing California driver's license. They then used another fake ID to successfully bypass the identity verification process on OKX, a cryptocurrency exchange. The article alleges that this technology could streamline bank fraud and money laundering, but reports no actual financial loss.
- Company involved
- OKX
- AI system involved
- OnlyFake
10 source articles · read the reporting →
NBI raids Makati love scam facility using AI-generated fake female profiles
The National Bureau of Investigation raided a Makati condominium believed to be a love-scam facility, arresting about 100 suspects. The scammers used AI-generated conversations and fake profile pictures of women to trick victims into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Singaporean actor Laurence Pang said he lost S$35,000 after being deceived by such a scheme via the dating site PinaLove in late 2024; the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group confirmed he was a victim. The NBI continues to interrogate a Chinese national said to be the supervisor.
2 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 →
Mumbai businessman loses Rs 80,000 in AI voice cloning scam
A 68-year-old businessman from Powai, Mumbai, was defrauded of Rs 80,000 after receiving a call from scammers posing as the Indian Embassy in Dubai. The fraudsters used AI voice cloning to mimic his son's voice, claiming he was arrested and needed bail money. The victim transferred the money via GPay before realising it was a scam when the call was disconnected. The Kanjurmarg police have registered a case and are investigating.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
