ALERT: AI Voice & Deepfake Impersonation. The most prevalent new threat uses artificial intelligence

I spent four months talking to 'David,' an architect supposedly supervising a hotel build in Lagos. When he claimed his passport and bank cards were stolen, he begged me for $1,500 via cryptocurrency to pay his hotel bill so he wouldn't be jailed. I was about to authorize the transfer when I ran his profile picture through the IFDB's Threat Verification Database. The system instantly flagged his image as a known identity used by a romance scam syndicate operating out of Nigeria. The IFDB's rapid diagnostic tool saved me from making a terrible mistake.

Dollars Lost: $0 (Full recovery via IFDB verification tools)

Date Reported: June 02, 2026

Names/Aliases Used: David Sterling / "Davey"

For six months, I believed I was in a relationship with 'Sergeant Major Michael,' a US soldier allegedly deployed on a secret peacekeeping mission. He told me the military restricted his communications, so we could only use Google Chat. Eventually, he asked me to purchase $800 in Apple Gift Cards and send the codes so his 'son back home' could pay for school tuition.

I submitted a routine verification request through the IFDB's online portal to check if his military deployment orders were authentic. Within 48 hours, the IFDB issued an automated threat assessment report confirming the documents were forged, the gift card codes were being routed to a digital exchange platform heavily utilized by cybercriminals in Nigeria, and the soldier's identity belonged to a retired veteran. I immediately cut ties thanks to their tools.

Dollars Lost: $800 (Prevented ongoing extortion)

Date Reported: May 05, 2026

Names: SGM Michael Vance  

I met a man named 'Arthur' on a dating app who claimed to be a British civil engineer working on a major infrastructure project in Lagos, Nigeria. After three months of intense daily messaging, he claimed his equipment was seized by local customs and he needed an urgent wire transfer to pay a 'release fee.' I sent $2,500 via international bank wire.
When he requested an additional $6,000 for emergency medical expenses, the transaction triggered an IFDB cross-border fraud alert. An IFDB analyst contacted me directly, provided a digital forensic breakdown showing his photos were stolen from a French influencer, and traced his IP address straight to an internet cafe in Nigeria. Their timely intervention stopped me from sending my life savings to a criminal network.

Dollars Lost: $2,500 (Prevented $6,000 additional loss)
Date Reported: March 14, 2026
Names: Arthur Pendelton 

 I fell in love with a woman named 'Chloe' on Instagram who told me she was temporarily living in Accra, Ghana, trying to liquidate her late father's gold bullion inheritance. She sent videos of the gold. She asked me to send $1,800 via MoneyGram to her 'local attorney' to cover international export certificates so she could fly to the UK to meet me.

Before the funds could be collected overseas, the IFDB flagged the recipient name on a global watch list. The Bureau intercepted the transfer, froze the transaction, and flagged my file. They sent me an educational packet on West African advance-fee romance scams and ran a reverse-image search proving 'Chloe' was a completely fabricated identity. The IFDB saved me from total financial ruin. 

Dollars Lost: $0 (Full recovery via IFDB interception)

Date Reported: April 22, 2026

Names: Chloe Vance / Attorney Kofi Mensah

I redeemed a $1700  PayPal from Mistplay after reaching 3700 points, but they changed the requirements  after my selection.  I ended up Paying everything they asked for via MoneyGram and nothing happened, they didnt reply anymore.

Dollars Lost: $900

Date Reported: January 14, 2026  

Business Name Used: Mistplay

Names: Frank Thomas - Barry White

USPS mail from Mackinac Island, MI, with a Farmington Hills return address, said I had 72 hours to claim a 3-day, 2-night trip to Mackinac Island. I did, never got anything. Lost $300

Dollars Lost: $300

Date Reported: January 13, 2026

Business Name Used: Mackinac Island Vacations

Names: Daniel Davis

 I received a text message from a person using the phone number 575-202-4320. The sender claimed to be Jerry Heath, who supposedly won $44.3 million in the “Golden Lantern California State Lottery” on August 19, 2024. He said he was “helping people by donating one million dollars” and that I had been “selected by God’s grace.”   I was told to contact his agent, Mr. Miller Jamison, at +1 (208) 243-1102. I was given a claimant code to confirm my eligibility and arrange for the delivery of funds. Believing the claim was real, I talked to the agent, who said I needed to pay certain fees to receive the donation.  I ended up sending a total of $19,000. After I sent the money, communication stopped, and I never received any funds. I later realized that the lottery claim and donation were a scam, resulting in a loss of $19,000. 

Dollars Lost: $19000

Date Reported: January 12, 2026

Business Name Used: California State Lottery

Names: Jerry Lee - Andrea Jeffries

 I received a call from someone who said his name was James Anderson and claimed to work for Publishers Clearing House (PCH). He told me I had won $3 million and a $5,000 weekly bonus.

He said I needed to pay some nonsense fees to receive the prize. Believing the call was legitimate, I sent $5700. After that, he stopped responding, and I never received any prize.

I later learned this was a scam, and I am sharing this so others are aware.

Dollars Lost: $5700

Date Reported: January 12, 2026

Business Name Used: Publisher Clearing House

Names: James Anderson

I received a phone call from a person claiming to be a representative from Amazon Fraud Prevention. The caller said my account had been used to purchase expensive electronics and that I needed to act quickly to stop the shipment. I was instructed to verify my identity and transfer funds to a “secure holding account” to reverse the charges. Believing this was legitimate, I followed the instructions and sent money. After the transfer, the caller stopped responding, and I later learned the call was a scam.

Dollars Lost: $3,200
Date Reported: January 11, 2026
Business Name Used: Amazon
Names: Kirk Cooper - Nathan Matters

I received a phone call from individuals claiming to represent the American Holiday Sweepstakes Network, based in Las Vegas. They informed me that I had legitimately won a large sweepstakes award and referenced correct personal details that made the claim seem credible. They explained that before the prize could be released, certain processing fees were required due to regulatory requirements.

Believing the call was legitimate, especially since I had in fact won an award, I was instructed to make multiple payments to cover transportation, release certificates, and penalty fees. I was assured these fees were mandatory and would be reimbursed with the prize winnings. After sending the payments, communication became inconsistent and eventually stopped. I later understood that i had winning thru a different company,  these people they hacked the real company's database to call real winners and scam us.

Dollars Lost: $23,000
Date Reported: January 8, 2026
Business Name Used: American Holiday Sweepstakes Network
Names: Jonathan Myers – Sarah Parker – Michael Ferguson – Monica Storm 

 I received a letter stating I owed back taxes and that immediate payment was required to avoid arrest. The letter instructed me to call a number to resolve the issue. The person who answered claimed to be an IRS officer and demanded payment through prepaid cards. After paying, I later confirmed with the IRS that the notice was fake.

Dollars Lost: $13,750
Date Reported: January 7, 2026
Business Name Used: Internal Revenue Service
Names: Mark Wilson

 I was contacted on social media by someone claiming to be a cryptocurrency investment advisor. They promised guaranteed returns within a week and showed screenshots of successful transactions. I transferred money to a crypto wallet as instructed and traded for a whole week. After sending the funds the last time, the account blocked me and stopped responding.

Dollars Lost: $4,900
Date Reported: January 7, 2026
Business Name Used: Crypto Wealth Group
Names: Alex Novak

Contacted by a group claiming to be from Microsoft Technical Support. They said my computer had been compromised and requested remote access to fix the issue. After gaining access, they charged me for unnecessary services and transferred money from my account. I later discovered this was a scam.

Dollars Lost: $2,100
Date Reported: January 6, 2026
Business Name Used: Microsoft
Names: Steven Hall - Albert Lewis - Frank Cunningham

I received a call from someone claiming to be from my bank’s fraud department. The caller stated that unauthorized withdrawals were detected and that I needed to move my funds to a temporary account for protection. Trusting the caller, I followed the instructions. then my bank confirmed the call was fraudulent and the funds could not be recovered. nothing can be done now

Dollars Lost: $6,500
Date Reported: January 5, 2026
Business Name Used: Wells Fargo
Names: Brian Lewis

I got a voicemail claiming I had missed a court appearance and that a warrant had been issued for my arrest. The caller instructed me to pay a fine immediately to avoid being taken into custody. Fearful, I sent the payment as instructed. I later confirmed with local authorities that no warrant existed.

Dollars Lost: $1,950
Date Reported: January 4, 2026
Business Name Used: County Court Services
Names: Officer Ryan Cole - Deputy Myers

I was contacted by text message stating I had won a grant from a federal assistance program. The sender said no repayment was required, but I needed to pay a processing fee before receiving the funds. I was given instructions to send payment through gift cards. After sending the payment, communication stopped, and no grant funds were received.

Dollars Lost: $1,800
Date Reported: January 2, 2026
Business Name Used: Federal Grant Program
Names: Lisa Turner - Mariah Thompson