Bill Cosens
This is one of the AI-generated images Bill Cosens received from scammers. Fortunately, the family noticed some inconsistencies
The scam is part of a growing trend in which criminals monitor social media, particularly posts about “lost animals,” to find vulnerable owners.
A group of scammers used AI-generated images to try to extort US$2,800, around 2,400 euros, from a family in Florida, USA, who were desperately looking for their missing dog.
The perpetrators of the fraud provided the address of a supposed “veterinary clinic” where the dog would be treatedbut the address actually corresponded to Deltona City Hall, says .
The family claims that fraudsters tried to extort money from them using images generated to make you believe that your missing dog was injured and needed a emergency surgery.
Bill Cosens told the family that the family’s ordeal began on Saturday last week, when Archer, their beagle mix, ran away from the yard. The animal’s family posted on Facebook and asked for the community’s help in bringing it home.
On Sunday morning, the family received a call from someone who claimed that the dog had been hit by a car and urgently needed surgery.
The caller demanded the immediate payment of almost 2,800 dollars and sent what appeared to be convincing evidence of the animal’s situation: photographs of Archer on an operating tablein a veterinary clinic.
However, a Closer analysis of the photographs revealed inconsistencies clear, including irregularities in the dog’s coat and an x-ray dated 2022. “This isn’t Archer. This is AI“, said Cosens, recalling the moment the fraud became evident. “It wasn’t obvious when you’re in despair.”
The scammers used one of Archie’s photographs published by the family on social media to generate images of the dog “under treatment” using AI.
The last sign of alarm was the fact that the address given for the supposed “veterinary clinic” actually corresponds to the Deltona City Council. The fraud was dismantled, but Archer was still missing.
Upon realizing that It was all just a hoaxCosens asked a neighbor for help — who told him that I had seen a woman catch the animal and drive him the night he disappeared.
“He said to me: Man, people are so miserable. Send me the information, messages, photos and phone number. I have ways to locate people“, remembers Cosens.
The neighbor ended up locating the woman in a nearby locationand Archer was returned home safe and sound on Thursday morning, said Cosens, who added that the animal is “physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted“.
It is believed that this scam does part of a growing trend in which criminals monitor social networks, in particular channels about “lost animals”to find vulnerable owners.
Scammers can withdraw real photos shared on the internet and use AI to create false and emotionally appealing situationssuch as injuries or emergency visits to the vet, in order to pressure people into paying quickly.
Cosens says he is very grateful for his neighbor’s help, which made it possible to get Archer back home safely, ending what could have been both an emotional and financial loss.
“I have to remember that, no matter how much I have lost faith in humanity as a whole, then I look at my neighbor and I think that, without him, I wouldn’t have my dog back.”
Mynot all people are miserable.
According to Fox 35 Orlando, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case, and there is currently no information about the fate of the woman who was caught in possession of the missing dog — a kind of Real life Cruella.
