Overview

• Scammers used AI-generated videos and a counterfeit ID to impersonate Jelly Roll on Facebook and lure Flint with promises of $50,000 and a new car.
• A follow-up deepfake video that addressed him by name convinced Flint—who lives on a fixed disability income—to send $70 in Apple gift cards.
• After a relative warned him of the fraud, he stopped payments but says the imposter still sends messages demanding more gift cards.
• The Federal Trade Commission advises never to pay with gift cards and recommends scrutinizing images, videos and audio for digital inconsistencies.
• Similar schemes, including one that cost an Illinois woman $62,000 through a Kevin Costner deepfake, demonstrate the growing sophistication of AI-driven scams.