JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A terrifying new twist on an old scam is raising alarms among federal investigators.
The FBI said criminals are now using artificial intelligence to create fake “proof-of-life” photos and videos, pressuring panicked families into paying ransoms for loved ones who are not actually in danger.
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The scams, known as virtual kidnappings, are fast, personal, and designed to exploit fear.
Investigators say criminals no longer need to abduct someone to demand money. They only need a phone number, personal details pulled from social media, and convincing AI-generated images.
“It’s up to the imagination of the person,” FBI Special Agent Matt Horton said.
Horton said there are no reported cases of virtual kidnapping-for-ransom scams in Jacksonville, but he confirmed the crime has occurred in other cities and can target anyone.
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The FBI did not share real images used in active investigations, saying doing so could jeopardize cases, and also, because the scam videos and photos can vary, based on who’s behind them.
“As far as getting an actual photo, we wouldn’t be able to push out a real photo that was used in an actual investigation,” Horton said.
Instead, the FBI reviewed mock photos shown by Action News Jax that illustrate how realistic the range of AI-generated images can be. One example showed a fake “proof of life” image of a man -– hands tied up and blindfolded.
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“This is a very believable picture,” Horton said. “This is a great example of what a person could show. A person who is bound inside a bedroom or a hotel room, with tape over them. This is very realistic.”
Paired with a threatening voice demanding money, investigators say the images don’t need to be accurate to be effective.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect,” Horton said. “With a combination of fear and stress and pressure, it just has to be enough to make the family believe.”
Action News Jax found the same AI tools driving virtual kidnappings are already disrupting the financial world. Deloitte estimates generative AI could contribute to $40 billion in banking fraud by 2027.
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If the technology can bypass bank security, parents worry it can easily fool families. Adriana Higgs, a Jacksonville mother, said the growing sophistication of AI is unsettling.
“Generated AI is scary, especially as it’s becoming better,” Higgs said. “There are ways AI can be good, but there’s a lot of unknown territory happening.”
Federal investigators say many virtual kidnapping scams originate overseas, often in Mexico and Central America, where enforcement is more difficult. In some cases, the FBI said inmates inside jails and prisons are able to carry out the schemes.
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“Overseas, they don’t have the same type of security as in the U.S.,” Horton said. “Sometimes there’s corruption, so a prisoner can pay a guard to bring a cell phone inside a jail. The inmates have unlimited time and unlimited imagination to get money.”
Parents in Jacksonville reacted after being shown AI-generated images similar to those used in the scams. Each parent interviewed by Action News Jax initially believed the unsettling images were real.
“That would hit me straight to my stomach,” Michael Chaney, a father who described himself as a “helicopter dad,” said.
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Others said the experience prompted them to rethink what they share online.
“I need to go delete my kids’ stuff,” Tierra Stokes said. “That’s super scary.”
The FBI urges families not to pay ransoms and not to let fear dictate their response. Investigators recommend stalling the caller to buy time and checking directly with the family member to confirm they are safe. Anyone who receives a ransom demand is encouraged to report it to the FBI immediately.
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