AI Incidents
Real-world cases where AI systems caused harm, classified by risk domain and entity. Data sourced from 
AIID and classified by 
MIT AI Risk Initiative. CC BY-SA 4.0
566 incidents
Florida Couple Reportedly Loses $45,000 in Alleged AI-Generated Elon Musk Impersonation Scam
A Florida couple reportedly lost approximately $45,000 after scammers impersonating Elon Musk used AI-generated deepfake videos and social engineering to run a fake car giveaway and investment scheme. The victim was contacted via Facebook, moved to WhatsApp, and sent personalized videos purporting to show Musk promising prizes and returns. Believing the messages authentic, the victim transferred cash and funds before realizing no car or payout would arrive.
Purportedly AI-Generated TikTok Videos Reportedly Urged 'Polexit' Campaign, Prompting Polish Government Complaint to EU
Purportedly AI-generated TikTok videos depicting young women in patriotic dress reportedly urged Poland to leave the EU ("Polexit") and spread widely in late December 2025. Poland's junior digital minister reportedly said the wave appeared to test narratives ahead of the 2027 election, and asked the European Commission to examine TikTok's DSA compliance. TikTok reportedly said it removed content that violated its rules.
Purportedly AI-Generated Video Allegedly Depicted Radnor High School Students in Pennsylvania Inappropriately, Prompting Police Investigation
Radnor High School in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, and local police reportedly investigated a purportedly AI-generated video that allegedly depicted several students "in an inappropriate manner." The principal said affected families were contacted and offered support, and police were notified.
Purported Deepfake Impersonating Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides Reportedly Defrauded Citizens of Thousands of Euros
Around December 2025, Cypriot authorities reported that scammers used a purportedly AI-generated deepfake video impersonating President Nicos Christodoulides and other officials to promote a fraudulent investment platform. The video deceived about 15 citizens, who each lost between €10,000 and €15,000. Officials warned that malicious AI impersonation schemes are increasing and that citizens currently lack effective protection.
Purported Deepfake Advertisement Falsely Depicting Physician Endorsement Used to Sell Lipedema Cream to U.S. Patient Beth Holland
A U.S. patient, Beth Holland, reported losing money after purchasing a purported lipedema treatment, Svelta Venastra, promoted through an online advertisement that allegedly used deepfake video to falsely depict endorsements by medical professionals and public figures, including her own physician, Dr. David Amron. The reported ad circulated on Facebook and misrepresented the product's efficacy, leading Holland to spend approximately $300 on a cream that did not alleviate her condition.
Purported Deepfake Impersonating Doctor Allegedly Used in $200,000 Investment Scam Targeting Florida Grandmother
An 82-year-old Florida woman reportedly lost approximately $200,000 after viewing a purportedly AI-generated deepfake video that impersonated a trusted doctor from the autism community and promoted an investment opportunity. According to reporting, the woman believed the investment would secure her autistic grandson's future. The impersonation allegedly enabled scammers to gain access to her banking information, resulting in substantial financial loss and significant emotional distress.
Purported Pornographic Deepfakes and Fake Accounts Reportedly Impersonated German TV Presenter and Actor Collien Fernandes
Collien Fernandes, a German television presenter and actor, accused her former husband, Christian Ulmen, of carrying out a years-long online impersonation campaign that allegedly used fake accounts and AI-generated pornographic deepfakes resembling her. The allegations include sexually explicit synthetic images and videos presented as if they were hers, while Ulmen's lawyer reportedly denied the claims and said he would take legal action over the reporting.
Anthropic's Claude Was Reportedly Jailbroken To Allegedly Help Steal Sensitive Mexican Government Data
An unknown attacker reportedly jailbroke Anthropic's Claude and used it during a December 2025-January 2026 campaign against Mexican government systems. According to Gambit Security, the attacker used Claude to identify vulnerabilities and to generate exploitation scripts, which were then used to plan automated data theft. The attack reportedly contributed to theft of 150 GB of taxpayer, voter, government employee, and civil-registry data.
Purportedly AI-Generated Jason Momoa Deepfake Used in Romance Scam Reportedly Defrauding British Widow of $600,000
A British widow reportedly lost more than $600,000 in a romance fraud scheme that allegedly involved AI-generated deepfake videos purporting to show actor Jason Momoa. The victim reportedly sold her home and transferred funds after being led to believe the relationship was genuine.
Shilpa Shetty Alleges AI-Enabled Impersonation and Misuse of Likeness in Mumbai High Court Filing
Actor Shilpa Shetty reportedly filed a petition before the Bombay High Court in Mumbai in November 2025 over alleged unauthorized use of her identity in AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated media. In response, the court issued interim orders directing the removal of such content and restraining further dissemination. Shetty argues the material infringes her privacy and personality rights and sought measures to halt and remove misleading, nonconsensual depictions.
Unlabeled Purportedly AI-Generated 'Jessica Foster' Account Reportedly Posed as Pro-Trump Army Service Member to Attract Followers and Funnel Users to Paid Adult Content
"Jessica Foster" (@jessicaa.foster) reportedly operated as an AI-generated deception Instagram profile. A nonexistent pro-Trump military persona was presented through purportedly synthetic photos and videos without disclosure, reportedly attracting a large audience of users who often seemed to believe she was real. The account allegedly then redirected attention to paid adult-content platforms. Meta later removed the profile.
Purported Deepfake-Based Facebook Impersonation Reportedly Targets Daughter of Scot in Coma
Scammers allegedly created a fake Facebook profile impersonating a Scottish woman, Teigan McMahon, raising funds for her father, who was reportedly in a coma in Turkey. The account reportedly reused her photos and posts and was described as using purportedly AI-generated or deepfake-style content to solicit donations. The impersonation forced the family to pause their legitimate fundraiser while the fake profile remained online.
Facebook Account Reportedly Used AI-Generated Video to Impersonate Indonesian Preacher Ustaz Ujang Bustomi in Money-Giveaway Scam
A Facebook account called "PT perusahaan uangtunai" reportedly shared an AI-generated video impersonating Indonesian preacher Ustaz Ujang Bustomi and allegedly claiming he was giving away money. TurnBackHoax reported that the post drew about 12,500 likes, 7,100 comments, and 422 shares by 11/21/2025, and that Hive Moderation rated the video as likely AI-generated.
Purportedly AI-Enhanced Phishing Campaign Allegedly Impersonates Australian Government Services in Large-Scale Welfare Scam
A large-scale phishing campaign allegedly impersonating Services Australia and Centrelink reportedly sent more than 270,000 fraudulent emails in 2025. Mimecast analysts reportedly say attackers (designated MCTO3001) used AI tools to generate highly convincing government-themed messages and evasion techniques, targeting vulnerable Australians and public institutions. Victims reportedly faced risks of credential theft and downstream digital exploitation.
Purported Deepfake of Greek Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis Reportedly Used in Facebook Investment Scam
Greek Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis and the Ministry of Economy and Finance reportedly filed a lawsuit against unidentified operators of a Facebook page that allegedly used AI to generate a deepfake video falsely depicting the minister endorsing fraudulent "high-yield" investment schemes. Authorities noted this follows similar deepfake-driven scams in Greece involving impersonation of public figures for illicit financial gain.