- Michigan man got fake video of truck being attacked by strangers.
- They then demanded money, but the clip appeared AI-generated.
- Video may have used Google Street View to mimic driveway scene.
Tech giants are trying to cram artificial intelligence down our throats, but many people couldn’t care less. Unfortunately, AI has found an audience and it’s reportedly scammers.
According to Michigan State Police, a resident recently received a text message from a WhatsApp number that included an alarming video. The clip appeared to show the man’s driveway and truck, which was being attacked by “several subjects.” Details are hazy, but authorities said the group appeared to be slashing the vehicle’s tires.
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The person who sent the video then demanded $500, which presumably would have stopped the attack. However, something was off and the would-be victim believed the video may have been created using AI. As a result, they didn’t send money and contacted police.
Troopers responded and conducted a perimeter check, but “found no evidence that anyone had been on scene.” The vehicle was also inspected, but no damage was discovered.
Given this, Michigan State Police believe the incident was an “attempted scam using manipulated or AI-generated content to intimidate victims into sending money.” They went on to encourage people to report similar messages to police as well as “not send money, click links, or respond to unsolicited messages.”
While it’s alarming that scammers apparently knew where the victim lived and what vehicle he drove, it’s possible they simply looked up the address on Google Street View. Of course, even then, they apparently knew a lot about the individual including their phone number.
