Incidents gathered from public reporting around the world. Each one links to the articles it came from. None of it is a finding that anyone broke the law.
Reports people file about their own experience are not shown here and never will be without their agreement. Tell us what happened to you.
116 incidents closest to “Sigma First-Party Fraud” · matched on meaning · public reporting
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 →
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 →
The US Federal Trade Commission has charged Sitejabber, an AI-enabled review platform, with deceiving consumers by publishing ratings and reviews submitted at the point of purchase, before buyers had received or experienced the products. The FTC alleges this artificially inflated average ratings and review counts for its clients. Sitejabber has agreed to a proposed consent order prohibiting it from making such misrepresentations in the future.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
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.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
The court imposed monetary sanctions and continuing legal education requirements on plaintiff's counsel for using AI-generated fake legal authorities in a court filing.
1 source article · read the reporting →
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 →
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.
8 source articles · read the reporting →
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took action against IntelliVision Technologies Corp. for making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims about its AI-powered facial recognition software. The company allegedly claimed its software had one of the highest accuracy rates on the market and was free of gender or racial bias, without supporting evidence. The FTC also alleged that IntelliVision did not train its software on millions of faces as claimed, but on images of approximately 100,000 individuals. Under a proposed consent order, IntelliVision is prohibited from making such misrepresentations without competent and reliable testing.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
Hong Kong police arrested six people in a crackdown on a fraud syndicate that used AI deepfake technology to create doctored images for loan scams targeting banks and money-lenders. The case marks the first known instance of scammers using deepfake to fleece financial agencies. The police reminded the public to be aware of signs of deepfakes in video calls.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Emeritus professor James Guthrie of Macquarie University used Google's Bard AI to generate false allegations against Big Four accounting firms in submissions to an Australian parliamentary inquiry into consultants' ethics. Guthrie later apologized and claimed sole responsibility for the errors. The Big Four firms have denied the allegations.
5 source articles · read the reporting →
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.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Two consumers filed a proposed class action against Amazon in Washington federal court, alleging that the company rigged its algorithms to boost sales of its own retail business and third-party sellers using its fulfillment service. The plaintiffs claim that hundreds of millions of customers have overpaid for items as a result. The lawsuit is pending.
6 source articles · read the reporting →
An AI-generated video of Donald Trump promising quick returns scammed over 200 people across Karnataka, India, costing them more than ₹2 crore. Victims believed they were investing in 'Trump Hotel rentals' and saw fake earnings grow on their app until everything vanished. A police investigation is underway.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
The CEO of WPP, Mark Read, was the target of an elaborate deepfake scam. Fraudsters created a fake WhatsApp account and used a voice clone and YouTube footage in a Microsoft Teams meeting to impersonate Read and another senior executive, attempting to solicit money and personal details from an agency leader. The attack was unsuccessful, and WPP confirmed the incident was prevented due to the vigilance of staff. WPP warned employees about the increasing sophistication of such cyber-attacks.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
The Arizona Attorney General filed two lawsuits against Amazon on May 15, 2024. One lawsuit alleges that Amazon used deceptive design tricks (dark patterns) to prevent users from canceling Prime subscriptions. The other alleges that Amazon's Buy Box algorithm is biased in favor of Amazon's own products and Fulfillment by Amazon sellers, causing consumers to overpay. Amazon denied the allegations, stating that the lawsuits are based on a misunderstanding.
6 source articles · read the reporting →
The US Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general have sued Amazon.com, alleging that it illegally maintains a monopoly in online retail and marketplace services. The complaint claims Amazon uses algorithmic search rankings to bury sellers offering lower prices elsewhere, biases results toward its own products, and obliges sellers to use its fulfilment service to qualify for Prime. These practices are alleged to inflate prices, degrade quality for shoppers, and overcharge sellers. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to halt the conduct.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
In September 2024, a user posted an AI-manipulated video that appeared to show Brazilian footballer Ronaldo Nazário endorsing the Plinco app, but the link led to a different game. The video was viewed about 600,000 times. A user reported it to Meta as fraud, but Meta initially left it up. After the Oversight Board selected the case, Meta acknowledged the error and removed the post for violating its fraud and spam policies.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
An 82-year-old retired teacher from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, lost nearly $200,000 in retirement savings after scammers used an AI-generated deepfake video impersonating Dr. Pierre Kory to promote a fake investment fund. The victim, who cares for her autistic grandson, was convinced to send money via Facebook Messenger and checks. Police later confirmed the money was unrecoverable, leaving her facing financial hardship. The incident is part of a surge in AI-enabled crypto scams, which stole $17 billion in 2025.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
In March 2025, a finance director at a multinational firm in Singapore authorised a US$499,000 payment during a Zoom call that appeared to include the company's CFO and other executives. The call was a deepfake, with AI-generated likenesses and voices. The fraudsters used the impersonation to request an urgent fund transfer for a purported acquisition. The company later discovered the deception and reported it to Singapore police.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Yurii Nazarenko, a Ukrainian national, pleaded guilty to running OnlyFake, an AI-powered website that generated and sold over 10,000 counterfeit identification documents globally. The site allowed users to create realistic fake IDs, including driver's licenses and passports, to bypass identity verification at banks and cryptocurrency exchanges. Nazarenko faces up to 15 years in prison and agreed to forfeit $1.2 million. Sentencing is scheduled for June 2026.
3 source articles · read the reporting →
After Joann Fabrics filed for bankruptcy in January 2025, scammers used AI to create impostor websites mimicking the retailer's site. These fake sites offered deep discounts to trick shoppers into providing credit-card information and personal data. Customers who placed orders never received products and had their payment information compromised. The incident highlights the growing use of AI by cybercriminals to create convincing fake websites.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
