Presto Automation uses off-site human agents to double-check AI drive-thru orders
Presto Automation Inc, which markets an AI voice assistant for drive-thru ordering, used off-site human agents in countries including the Philippines to double-check orders in more than 70% of customer interactions, according to SEC filings reported by Bloomberg. The company told Bloomberg that the process helps train its system and should reduce human intervention over time. Presto's drive-thru AI is used in more than 400 restaurants, including Del Taco, Carl's Jr and Checkers, and its stock fell more than 10% after the reports.
- Company involved
- Presto Automation Inc.
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Chattr.ai exposed job applicant data due to insecure Firebase rules
A security researcher discovered that Chattr.ai, an AI hiring system used by many fast food chains, had a Firebase database with insecure security rules. By registering a new user, the researcher gained full read/write access to the database, exposing personal data of job applicants and employees, including names, phone numbers, emails, and some plaintext passwords. The vulnerability was reported to Chattr.ai on 9 January and patched the next day, but the company did not provide further contact or thanks.
- Company involved
- Chattr.ai
- AI system involved
- Chattr.ai
6 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 →
Air Canada liable for chatbot's misleading bereavement advice
Air Canada was found liable by the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal for misleading advice given by its website chatbot. The chatbot told a passenger they could retroactively claim a bereavement rate, but the airline later denied the claim. The tribunal ordered Air Canada to pay $812 in compensation, noting the airline's argument that the chatbot was a separate legal entity was 'remarkable'.
- Company involved
- Air Canada
- AI system involved
- Air Canada chatbot
10 source articles · read the reporting →
SEC charges American Bitcoin Academy over $1.2M AI scam
Brian Sewell, through his company American Bitcoin Academy, allegedly defrauded 15 students of $1.2 million by claiming his Rockwell Fund would use AI to generate high returns. The SEC charged that Sewell never launched the fund and lost the investors' money when his Bitcoin wallet was hacked. The case was settled with Sewell agreeing to pay $1.6 million in disgorgement and a $233,229 penalty.
- Company involved
- American Bitcoin Academy
6 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 →
TurboTax and H&R Block AI chatbots give wrong tax advice
A Washington Post review found that AI chatbots from TurboTax and H&R Block were unhelpful or wrong up to half the time when answering tax questions. The chatbots are used by millions of taxpayers. The review tested the chatbots and found them to be unreliable.
- Company involved
- TurboTax and H&R Block
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Hong Kong police arrest eight over deepfake bank account scam
Hong Kong police arrested eight people accused of running a scam ring that used deepfake images to bypass bank verification checks and open accounts. The deepfakes were created by merging scammers' faces with those on lost identity cards using artificial intelligence. The arrests were announced on 19 April 2025.
2 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 →
Northeast Ohio man scammed out of $20,000 by deepfake Elton John video
A 71-year-old man in Northeast Ohio was scammed out of $20,000 after watching a deepfake video of Elton John on Instagram that falsely promised easy money through an online store. He was guided by two individuals posing as company representatives to open bank accounts and credit cards, which they then used to charge his cards. The victim, who was working part-time and seeking extra income, is now in debt and has returned to full-time work. One credit card company has credited $9,400, and he is working to recover the remaining funds.
1 source article · read the reporting →
CJEU rules Dun & Bradstreet must explain automated credit decisions under GDPR
A customer was refused a mobile phone contract because of an automated credit assessment by Dun & Bradstreet Austria. The customer took the case to court, which found that Dun & Bradstreet had infringed the GDPR by failing to provide meaningful information about the logic involved. The CJEU ruled that data controllers must explain automated decisions and that trade secrets cannot automatically override the right of access.
- Company involved
- Dun & Bradstreet Austria GmbH
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Klarna CEO faces backlash for using AI to halve marketing team
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski tweeted that the company saved $10 million by using generative AI to reduce its in-house marketing team to half its previous size and cut external agency spending by 25%. The post sparked criticism on social media, with commenters calling the remarks 'ghoulish' and highlighting concerns about AI's impact on jobs. Klarna previously laid off 700 workers in 2022 and reduced headcount by 23% by end of 2023.
- Company involved
- Klarna
- AI system involved
- Midjourney, DALL-E, Adobe Firefly
6 source articles · read the reporting →
LinkedIn removes AI 'co-worker' accounts that were seeking jobs
LinkedIn removed at least two AI 'co-worker' accounts whose profile images said they were '#OpenToWork'. One account named Ella claimed it would outperform any social media team and needed no coffee breaks. The article does not specify further consequences.
- Company involved
- LinkedIn
- AI system involved
- AI 'co-worker' account 'Ella'
4 source articles · read the reporting →
DWP algorithm approved Kickstart gateways with no trading history or based abroad
An FE Week investigation found that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) approved dozens of companies as Kickstart gateways through automated due diligence checks using the Cabinet Office Spotlight Tool, although some had little or no trading history or were based abroad. The DWP said gateways were subject to stringent checks and later said human checks were also used. After the findings were shared with the Treasury and the DWP, the department stopped taking gateway applications and scrapped the requirement for small employers to use gateways from 3 February.
- Company involved
- Department for Work and Pensions
- AI system involved
- Cabinet Office Spotlight Tool
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Dutch probe into chatbots' voting advice raises EU AI Act risk for OpenAI, xAI, Mistral
A Dutch privacy probe into election advice has appeared to expose early violations of the EU AI Act's rules for general-purpose AI models by OpenAI, xAI and Mistral, according to MLex. The companies' chatbots provided distorted voting advice to users. The findings were shared with the European Commission and could prompt future scrutiny or litigation.
- Company involved
- OpenAI, xAI and Mistral
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Bots and short sellers spread misinformation to trigger First Republic Bank run
A report by Valent Technologies alleges that AI-powered bots and fake accounts spread misinformation about First Republic Bank in March 2023, coinciding with a $100 billion deposit withdrawal and the bank's collapse. The report suggests short sellers likely orchestrated the bots to drive down the share price. Federal regulators closed the bank and sold its assets to J.P. Morgan, and the bank's former CEO attributed the collapse to 'contamination' by anxiety.
2 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 →
Citizens Advice finds ethnicity penalty in car insurance pricing
Citizens Advice conducted exploratory research into car insurance pricing and found that people of colour may be paying £250 more per year than White people. The research suggests that areas with large communities of colour may be identified as more risky by algorithms, even when objective risk factors are controlled. Citizens Advice has called on the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate the issue.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Scammers use AI deepfakes to defraud Simcoe County residents of tens of thousands
Scammers are using AI-generated deepfake videos of public figures to promote fraudulent investment schemes, tricking residents of Simcoe County, Ontario, into transferring large sums of money via cryptocurrency. Victims, numbering at least half a dozen, have lost tens of thousands of dollars, with one losing over $100,000. The scammers, who pose as investment representatives, instruct victims to move money to crypto exchanges and then transfer it to untraceable addresses. MP Adam Chambers is calling for greater public awareness and platform accountability.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
AI-generated voice impersonates Liz Bonnin to deceive Incognito
Scammers used an AI-generated voice to impersonate BBC presenter Liz Bonnin, convincing Incognito CEO Howard Carter to pay £20,000 for an endorsement. Bonnin's likeness was used in insect repellant ads without her consent. The AI-generated voice note exhibited inconsistent accent and cadence, as assessed by experts. Incognito reported the incident to police and its bank.
6 source articles · read the reporting →
SEC charges YouPlus and CEO with defrauding investors
The SEC charged machine-learning startup YouPlus and its CEO Shaukat Shamim with defrauding investors. Shamim allegedly made false statements about the company's revenue and customer numbers, including providing falsified bank statements. The scheme unravelled when Shamim confessed to investors that the company had earned less than $500,000 and had only four paying customers since 2013. The SEC is seeking permanent injunctions, civil penalties, and an officer-and-director bar.
- Company involved
- YouPlus
- AI system involved
- YouPlus machine-learning tool
1 source article · read the reporting →
CA Press Wing warns of AI deepfake videos falsely showing Yunus endorsing gambling
The CA Press Wing warned that AI-generated deepfake videos of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus are being used in gambling ads on social media. The manipulated footage, taken from genuine interviews, falsely depicts Yunus promoting betting apps. The government urged the public to be cautious and not be deceived by these fake endorsements.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Pensioner loses 80,000 pounds to deepfake Martin Lewis investment scam
The deepfake video deceived a pensioner into investing in a fraudulent scheme and taking out loans.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Deepfake scam articles impersonate Maltese ministers after budget day
After Malta's budget day on 27 October 2025, a series of scam articles featuring deepfake videos of ministers, including Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, appeared on social media. The articles, falsely branded as Times of Malta, promoted a fraudulent AI-powered trading platform called NethertoxAGENT, claiming a €215 investment would yield €850 weekly. The scam used fake testimonials and logos of reputable businesses to appear credible. Authorities have not reported any arrests for this specific scam, but a similar deepfake scam previously led to a woman losing her life savings and a money laundering charge against a Ukrainian national.
3 source articles · read the reporting →
