An 82-year-old Florida grandmother says scammers used artificial intelligence to steal tens of thousands of dollars she had saved for her autistic grandson by impersonating a trusted doctor online.
Maurine Meleck, who lives in Ponte Vedra and raised her grandson Josh after he was diagnosed with autism at age two, says she believed she was making an investment to secure his future, reports First Coast News.
“He’s wonderful. I love him to death.”
Meleck says she no longer drives and spends much of her time online. While scrolling through Facebook, she came across a video featuring a doctor she recognized from the autism community. The video promoted what appeared to be a legitimate investment opportunity.
“It looked completely real, his face, his voice, everything. I wanted to save more money for my grandson, and so I fell for it hook, line and sinker.”
The video was later revealed to be a deepfake, generated using artificial intelligence. Meleck says the scammers gained access to her online banking information and drained approximately $200,000 she had set aside for Josh.
“It was being held for Josh when I passed away.”
After realizing what had happened, Meleck says the emotional toll was severe.
“I got very emotional and so angry with myself that I had difficulty functioning. I lost 20 pounds and couldn’t sleep because it went through my mind over and over again.”
Meleck filed a police report with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Meleck says she decided to speak publicly about the scam to warn others not to trust what they see online, noting that a GoFundMe has since been created to help her family recover from the loss.
“People who steal from others, especially those in need, are just heartless.”
In October, reports surfaced that the number of Americans who have fallen prey to cybercrime has doubled this year as fraudsters leverage AI to dupe their victims. And earlier this month, the FBI issued a public service announcement warning that scammers are using AI deepfakes to extort money from victims.
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