paint-brush
Facebook Scams Join the AI Partyby@kitthirasaki
2,811 reads
2,811 reads

Facebook Scams Join the AI Party

by Kitt Hirasaki
Kitt Hirasaki HackerNoon profile picture

Kitt Hirasaki

@kitthirasaki

Product/Design/AI Technologist, Khan Academy, Pixar, SnapInstruct

April 4th, 2023
Read on Terminal Reader
Read this story in a terminal
Print this story
Read this story w/o Javascript
Read this story w/o Javascript
tldt arrow

Too Long; Didn't Read

A new scam pattern has surfaced on Facebook. It uses AI images of products, implying they are real, and then leading them to a landing page with AI-generated images and copy, with no way to buy the product. The page is filled with ad links to Wayfair that imply the item displayed on the page can be purchased on closeout at Wayfair.
featured image - Facebook Scams Join the AI Party
1x
Read by Dr. One voice-avatar

Listen to this story

Kitt Hirasaki HackerNoon profile picture
Kitt Hirasaki

Kitt Hirasaki

@kitthirasaki

Product/Design/AI Technologist, Khan Academy, Pixar, SnapInstruct

Learn More
LEARN MORE ABOUT @KITTHIRASAKI'S
EXPERTISE AND PLACE ON THE INTERNET.
0-item
1-item

STORY’S CREDIBILITY

Original Reporting

Original Reporting

This story contains new, firsthand information uncovered by the writer.

On the Ground

On the Ground

The writer was physically present in relevant location(s) to this story.


A new scam pattern has surfaced on Facebook—creating AI images of products, implying they are real, getting people to interact with the post, and then leading them to a landing page with AI-generated images and copy, with no way to buy the product. However, a lot of links to other sites where thematically related things can be purchased appear across the page.

The AI-Powered Bait

On Facebook, the page “Inspiring Designs” is publishing cool images of seemingly real products, such as these Star Wars-themed cribs:



image



FB users like and comment, and share this post, spreading its reach. As of this writing, this post had been shared 430 times.

The AI-Powered Trap

When people follow the link to the website, they encounter a reasonably assembled and written page with compelling images and normal-seeming copy:


image



However, the page is filled with ad links to Wayfair that imply that the item displayed on the page can be purchased on closeout at Wayfair:


image


Currently, the scammers have not turned off comments on their pages, so the comments sections are filled with confused people looking to purchase the items:


image


The Ad Payoff

Clicking on one of the ads (the only thing that seems like it might be a way to purchase the cool items), the FB user is taken to Wayfair, shown products that are unrelated to this, and the site owners collect referral revenue.


image


No clear way to report this scam


I then went to the origin page and attempted to report it as a scam. However, Facebook’s issue reporting system does not have a specific category for this. I reported it as “Fraud or scam > Other”.



image

Get ready for AI-powered scams

This is merely the beginning of a larger issue. It represents only one of the earliest examples of numerous possible AI-driven frauds that will be extremely tailored and impactful. These scams will surpass mere ad revenue theft and could involve convincing deep fake phone conversations with acquaintances requesting urgent money transfers due to their supposed dire circumstances.


Stay frosty, humans, it’s going to get weird.

L O A D I N G
. . . comments & more!

About Author

Kitt Hirasaki HackerNoon profile picture
Kitt Hirasaki@kitthirasaki
Product/Design/AI Technologist, Khan Academy, Pixar, SnapInstruct

TOPICS

THIS ARTICLE WAS FEATURED IN...

Permanent on Arweave
Read on Terminal Reader
Read this story in a terminal
 Terminal
Read this story w/o Javascript
Read this story w/o Javascript
 Lite
Cyberpogo
Liwaiwai
Coffee-web
Unni
Atinatin
X REMOVE AD