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.
44 incidents closest to “Sigma First-Party Fraud” · matched on meaning · public reporting
The AI system generated and targeted scam advertisements to users, causing potential financial harm.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Investigations revealed foreign-run Facebook pages using AI-generated images of wounded soldiers to lure Americans into romance scams. Impostors posing as U.S. generals would contact commenters, establish online relationships, and ask for money, causing victims like retiree Jeanne Wasserman to lose over $130,000. Meta acknowledged the pages as 'engagement bait' and struggles with fake account removal. Survivors reported crimes to police and the FBI, but few have recovered funds.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Meta makes $$$ from deepfake AI scams… then fails to assist victims Independent Australia
1 source article · read the reporting →
Meta is facing a multi-billion pound group legal action in the UK from consumers who allege that scam adverts on Facebook and Instagram caused them financial ruin. Victims claim that Meta's algorithms targeted them with fraudulent investment adverts, leading to losses averaging £37,000. Two law firms have launched the claim on a no-win, no-fee basis, arguing that Meta profited from the ads and failed to adequately prevent them. Meta says it aggressively fights scams and removed 159 million scam adverts last year.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Scammers used generative AI to create a fake clone of the brokerage firm Exante, including a replicated trading platform and AI-generated passports. They opened a real JPMorgan Chase bank account using a US address and tricked at least one US victim into transferring funds. Exante, which does not serve US clients, discovered the scam when the victim was registered on its real platform and reported the incident to the FBI, SEC, CFTC, and other authorities. The scammers remain unidentified, and the victim's funds have not been recovered.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Phia︱蓋茨女兒「AI購物助理」偷塞Cookie 認收他人推廣佣金 - singtao.ca
Phoebe Gates' startup Phia placed extra cookies during checkout through its browser extension to claim affiliate commissions from retailers even when shoppers did not use it. Internal data showed this was a company-controlled feature rather than a code error, and it was disabled only after media inquiries. Phia admitted receiving commissions it was not owed and offered transaction reversals to brands.
1 source article · read the reporting →
A fraud analyst, Leon, was targeted by scammers who used AI to create convincing fake websites for non-existent investment firms. The scammers posed as employees of Assent Advisory and directed him to elaborate sites for APPC Capital Singapore and Thackeray Mines and Minerals Inc., complete with AI-generated images and fake details. Leon recognised the scam, but the sophistication of the AI-generated content made him second-guess his own judgment. The incident highlights how AI is enabling more convincing investment scams.
1 source article · read the reporting →
A couple in Samsun, Turkey, were defrauded of 1.5 million Turkish lira after clicking on a Facebook ad featuring an AI-generated investment video. The scammers, posing as investment advisors, convinced them to transfer money, take out loans, and sell gold, under the guise of fees and taxes. The couple filed a criminal complaint with the Samsun prosecutor's office. They warned others to be cautious of similar online scams.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Amber George, the longtime spokeswoman for Fred's Appliance, alleges that the company and production company Victory Media used artificial intelligence to create advertisements featuring her voice and likeness without her consent. She discovered a President's Day ad in February 2026 that she had not filmed, which used cloned voice and past footage. After she raised concerns, the companies offered an addendum to allow AI use, which she rejected, ending her 14-year relationship with Fred's. She filed a lawsuit in Spokane Superior Court alleging commercial exploitation; the companies claim they believed the use was authorized and offered compensation.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Fraudsters used deepfake videos of DNB's CEO and CFO in a live Teams meeting to instruct employees at the bank's Singapore office to transfer millions of Singapore dollars. The attempt was detected after a suspicious WhatsApp message was reported to security. DNB allowed the meeting to proceed to gather intelligence, and no money was lost. The bank publicly disclosed the incident to raise awareness about deepfake threats.
1 source article · read the reporting →
In June 2025, a series of AI-generated deepfake videos circulated on Facebook in Lithuania, impersonating journalists, politicians, and doctors to promote fraudulent health products. The videos, part of a wider European scam campaign, tricked viewers into losing money. The National Crisis Management Centre called it a 'new level of fraud', and the videos were later removed. Facebook promised to strengthen content review but has not yet delivered results.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Internal documents reveal that Amazon's India marketplace systematically used third-party sellers' non-public data to create copycat products and manipulated search results to favour its own private-label items. One seller reported a significant drop in sales after Amazon introduced a cheaper AmazonBasics version of a product. Amazon denies the allegations, calling them unsubstantiated. The practices have drawn antitrust scrutiny from US FTC Chair Lina Khan.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
A title company owner in Hallandale Beach, Florida, detected an attempted property fraud using a deepfake video. The scammer posed as the owner of a vacant lot, providing a fake driver's licence and a looped video during a video call. The title company owner noticed the video was not interactive and halted the sale. The true owner's property tax bills had been sent to the Bahamas, and the scammer used a photo of a missing woman from California.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
AI-generated fake profiles on Meta are being used to lure Swedish small savers into 'pump and dump' investment schemes. The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority reports that more than 5,000 savers have lost a total of half a billion kronor. Journalist Gabriel Mellqvist, whose identity was used without consent, criticises Meta for not taking responsibility.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Scammers used AI-generated deepfake videos to impersonate Bank of Montreal's chief investment strategist Brian Belski and economist David Rosenberg, luring investors into WhatsApp groups with fake stock tips. Victims reported collective losses exceeding $1-million. The real experts struggled to get the content removed from Meta platforms, with some deepfakes reaching nearly a million users. Meta has since enrolled one victim in a facial recognition program to detect future impersonations.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
In June 2024, a scam group posing as FTX debt claimants allegedly used AI-generated identities and manipulated facial appearances to defraud two companies of more than $5.6 million. The perpetrators accessed FTX customer data through public bankruptcy filings or a 2023 data breach at Kroll. Blockchain analysis traced the stolen funds through Binance, CoinEx, and Gate.io. The incident remains unresolved.
6 source articles · read the reporting →
The SEC charged Delphia (USA) Inc. and Global Predictions Inc. for making false and misleading statements about their use of artificial intelligence. Delphia claimed from 2019 to 2023 that it used AI and machine learning to predict investments, while Global Predictions falsely claimed in 2023 to be the 'first regulated AI financial advisor'. Both firms settled the charges without admitting or denying the findings, agreeing to pay a total of $400,000 in civil penalties and to cease and desist from further violations.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) deployed the Michigan Integrated Data Automated System (MiDAS) to automate fraud detection. The system algorithmically adjudicated over 40,000 fraud cases between October 2013 and September 2015, with 85 percent of those resulting in incorrect fraud determinations. The false accusations led to severe financial penalties, ruined credit, and homelessness for many victims. A class-action lawsuit was filed, and while the state has apologised and returned fines, it has fought against compensation claims, though legislators have promised to seek at least $30 million for those affected.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Hello Digit, a fintech company, used an automated savings algorithm that made transfers from consumers' checking accounts, falsely guaranteeing no overdrafts. The algorithm caused customers to incur overdraft fees, and the company often denied reimbursement requests. The CFPB found that Hello Digit engaged in deceptive practices and ordered the company to pay redress to harmed consumers and a $2.7 million fine.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Scammers are using AI-manipulated videos of Namibia's former First Lady Monica Geingos to convince members of the public to invest in fraudulent Forex schemes. Geingos warned that she is not soliciting money or loans on social media and urged people to report fake accounts. The incident highlights the rising threat of deepfake fraud, with South Africa experiencing a 1200% increase in such cases. No specific loss has been reported, but the potential for financial harm is significant.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Wesley Skelton, a Marine Corps veteran from Pittsburg, California, was duped into buying 324 'golden eagles' for $2,500 after watching AI-generated videos of President Trump, Bank of America's CEO, and Elon Musk promoting the Golden Eagles Project. The videos, which appeared on Telegram, falsely claimed the collectible coins could be traded in for over $100,000 each at Bank of America. After discovering the items were worthless, Skelton received a partial refund of $600 from his credit card processor, but the seller did not respond. The scam highlights the use of AI-generated deepfakes to perpetrate financial fraud.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Threat actors used Gamma, an AI-powered presentation builder, to host a page that redirected recipients to a fake Microsoft SharePoint login portal. Emails sent from compromised legitimate accounts passed authentication checks, while a Cloudflare Turnstile blocked automated security scanners. An adversary-in-the-middle framework validated credentials in real time and captured session cookies, enabling multi-factor authentication bypass on Microsoft accounts. Abnormal reported the campaign on 15 April 2025.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Fraudsters used forged emails and deepfake audio to impersonate a company director, convincing a branch manager at a UAE company to transfer $35 million as part of a fake acquisition. The manager believed he was following instructions from the director and a US-based lawyer. The incident, which occurred in January 2020, led to a US federal court request for assistance in tracing the stolen funds. The case highlights the growing threat of deepfake technology in corporate fraud.
6 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
