Scammers using AI-generated images of missing pets to demand reward money
Summary
Scammers are using AI-generated images and invented stories to convince people whose pets have gone missing that they have found them. They then demand money or gift cards and, in some cases, threaten to harm the animals if owners refuse to pay.Key Facts
- Stephanie Young, from Birmingham, was sent an AI-generated image of her missing cat Buddy and asked for 100 Apple gift cards.
- The scammer threatened to sell or murder Buddy after Young questioned the claim; the cat has still not been found, 13 months after he went missing.
- Cam Chauhan, from Wednesbury, was asked for a £200 Apple gift card nine months after her cat Creed went missing.
- Sarah Robinson, from Northampton, said a caller demanded £40,000 to return her cat Cookie and threatened to kill the cat when she refused.
- The scammers used images that appeared to show the missing cats and set meeting points, but would not hand over the animals before receiving payment.
- The article reports that scammers stole almost £1.3 billion in the UK in 2025, as criminals increasingly use AI.
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