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If an AI-generated voice, video, image, or profile is impersonating someone, treat it as a potential fraud or safety incident. Preserve the original evidence first, then report internet-enabled crime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), consumer or impersonation fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urgent threats to local law enforcement or the FBI, and the content to the platform where it appeared. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately if money or account information was involved. Do not keep negotiating with the impersonator or send more information.

What should I do first after finding an AI impersonation?

Your first priorities are safety, preservation of unaltered evidence, and stopping further loss. Do not delete the message, profile, file, or account conversation before saving it.

Preserve the original evidence

Save the original image, audio, video, email, text message, social profile, dating profile, marketplace listing, or web page. Download files when the service allows it, and keep the original file names and metadata. Take screenshots that show the full screen, username, URL, date, time, and surrounding conversation. Record phone numbers, email addresses, cryptocurrency addresses, payment references, account names, and the device used to receive the contact.

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CATCH recommends preserving emails, texts, screenshots, account records, transaction details, phone numbers, usernames, web addresses, and device information. Do not edit, crop, filter, re-save, or convert the only copy of a file; those actions can remove context or metadata. Make a read-only backup or store a second copy in a separate location.

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Stop the contact safely

  • Do not send additional money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, passwords, identity documents, or verification codes.
  • Do not click unexpected links or install software requested by the sender.
  • Do not rely on caller ID, a familiar profile photo, or a voice that sounds authentic.
  • Verify a supposed family member, executive, bank employee, or government official through a phone number or website you locate independently.

If the material includes a threat to kill, injure, kidnap, expose intimate material, or cause immediate physical harm, move to a safe place and call emergency services. Preserve evidence only when doing so does not put you or another person at risk.

Create an incident log

Write a chronological record while details are fresh: when contact began, every channel used, what the person claimed, what they asked for, what you sent, payments made, account changes, and when you blocked or reported the account. Use your local time zone and identify whether a time came from a message header, device clock, bank record, or your own recollection.

Where should I report an AI scam or deepfake?

Most cases need more than one report. Choose each channel according to the harm, urgency, jurisdiction, and remedy you need.

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Channel Use it for What it can address Urgency
FTC ReportFraud.ftc.gov Consumer deception, impersonation, and fraud Consumer-protection records and referrals Non-emergency reporting; file promptly
FBI IC3 Internet-enabled crime, online scams, extortion, and AI-assisted fraud Information for federal investigative and intelligence work File as soon as possible; use emergency channels for immediate danger
Local police or an FBI field office Threats to life, extortion, stalking, ongoing crime, or a crime requiring local response Immediate safety response and criminal report Emergency services for imminent danger
CISA incident-reporting channels Relevant organizational or infrastructure cyber incidents Coordination and cyber-incident assistance Follow your organization’s incident plan
The platform or service Fake profiles, manipulated media, harassment, fraud listings, or account abuse Removal, account restriction, and preservation requests under its rules Report immediately; do not wait for an agency response
Bank, card issuer, or payment app Unauthorized transfers, fraudulent payments, or exposed financial credentials Payment review, possible recall or reversal, and account protection Immediate

Report where you live or where the incident occurred as well as through federal portals when the conduct crossed state or national borders. A platform report does not replace a police, FTC, IC3, or bank report.

How do I file an FTC impersonation-fraud report?

Use ReportFraud.ftc.gov when someone pretended to be a person, company, government office, relative, or service provider to obtain money, information, or access.

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  1. Open ReportFraud.ftc.gov using a device you trust.
  2. Select the category that best describes the impersonation or fraud and provide the date range, contact method, claimed identity, requested action, and losses.
  3. Describe that the media or account appeared AI-generated, if that is your assessment, and explain the observable facts: cloned voice, synthetic face, altered video, fabricated profile, or inconsistent identity details.
  4. List payment methods, amounts, transaction dates, recipient details, phone numbers, email addresses, usernames, and URLs. Keep the original files and screenshots in your possession in case investigators or the platform request them.
  5. Submit the report and save the confirmation number or a PDF of the completed report.

The FTC report is useful even when no money was lost. A report can document attempted fraud and help connect similar complaints, but it is not an emergency response and does not guarantee recovery.

How do I report a deepfake or AI-assisted crime to the FBI?

File an IC3 complaint at ic3.gov for online scams, extortion, account compromise, and other internet-enabled crimes. The FBI states that creating or distributing synthetic content is not inherently illegal; the criminal issue is how it is used, such as to commit fraud or extortion.

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Information IC3 asks for

  • The suspected person’s name, aliases, usernames, phone numbers, email addresses, physical address, and other identifying details.
  • How contact began and every website, app, phone number, email address, or messaging service involved.
  • Dates and times, including your time zone where relevant.
  • Payment method, amount, transaction ID, receiving institution, bank details, or cryptocurrency address.
  • What the person requested, what you shared, and whether you clicked a link, installed software, or granted account access.
  • A chronological narrative explaining what happened in plain language.

Submitting a useful narrative

Start with the first contact and use one paragraph per event. Separate facts you observed from conclusions about whether a file is synthetic. For example: “At 14:10 UTC, an account using the name and photograph of my manager sent a voice message requesting a transfer. The linked profile was created that day. I called my manager using the number in our company directory and confirmed the request was false.” State the amount lost or at risk, identify the receiving institution, and attach or retain evidence according to the portal’s instructions.

IC3 complaints are information reports, not a substitute for calling emergency services. If the suspect is actively threatening someone, report that danger to local law enforcement or the FBI immediately and then complete the online complaint when safe.

What should I do if the deepfake includes a threat or extortion?

Call emergency services when there is imminent danger, a credible threat to life, a kidnapping risk, an active break-in, or an attacker who is on the way. For non-immediate threats, contact local police or an FBI field office and provide the preserved files, account identifiers, URLs, and your incident log.

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Do not pay an extortionist to “remove” a video or promise secrecy. Payment can increase demands and does not ensure deletion. Do not forward intimate or abusive material to friends or public accounts; give it only to investigators, a platform’s designated safety team, or an attorney when necessary. Keep the original message and note whether the sender threatened publication, contacted your employer or family, or identified your location.

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How do I report the fake content on a social, messaging, dating, or marketplace platform?

  1. Use the service’s built-in report or abuse function on the specific post, message, profile, listing, or account.
  2. Choose the most accurate category, such as impersonation, fraud, harassment, non-consensual intimate imagery, or manipulated media.
  3. Include the account URL, username, post URL, message timestamps, and a concise explanation of who is being impersonated and what harm occurred.
  4. Request preservation of relevant records if the service provides a law-enforcement or safety contact. Do not assume a report automatically preserves deleted content.
  5. Save the platform’s case number, confirmation email, and any response. Report each copy or account separately if the material was reposted.

Lock down your real account after reporting: change the password from a trusted device, enable multifactor authentication, review active sessions and recovery addresses, remove unknown devices, and warn contacts if the attacker may send messages in your name.

What if I sent money or shared account information?

Contact the bank, card issuer, wire service, cryptocurrency exchange, or payment app immediately through a number or website you locate independently. Ask whether the transaction can be stopped, recalled, or disputed and provide the transaction ID, recipient, amount, and time. Speed matters; an online report alone cannot freeze a transfer.

  • For a compromised bank or payment account, ask the institution to secure the account, replace credentials, and review recent activity.
  • For exposed passwords, change them anywhere they were reused and use a unique password for each important account.
  • For exposed identity information, monitor statements and account-opening activity and consider a one-year fraud alert through Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.
  • For a stolen government identifier, follow the issuing agency’s identity-theft process and retain the case numbers.
  • Notify your employer’s security team if a work account, executive identity, customer data, or company payment process was involved.

Keep copies of bank correspondence and dispute decisions with your evidence log. Do not close a case merely because a payment is provisionally credited; the institution may later request more documentation.

How should I explain that a voice, image, or video may be AI-generated?

Describe evidence, not just a label. Note mismatched lip movement, unnatural pauses, repeated artifacts, impossible lighting, a voice that differs from known recordings, a new account using stolen photographs, or a request that conflicts with normal procedures. These clues can support a report, but they do not prove synthetic generation by themselves.

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Include a known-good comparison only when you have permission to use it, such as a public statement from the real person or a verified company directory entry. Preserve both files without editing. If a specialist, platform, or investigator later reaches a different conclusion, update your report rather than altering the original.

How widespread are impersonation and AI-assisted scams?

Official reporting shows why prompt reporting matters, while the figures below should not be read as a count of every incident. They are reported complaints or losses and may exclude unreported cases.

Measure Figure Scope and date
Complaints involving AI used in cybercrime 22,364 complaints FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 AI-used-in-cybercrime section
Adjusted losses in that IC3 section $893,346,472 FBI IC3 Annual Report, 2025; adjusted reported losses
Reported losses to impersonators Nearly $3 billion FTC, 2024; impersonation scams were the agency’s top fraud category year after year

These totals combine many techniques and are not a probability that any individual deepfake is genuine or criminal. They do show why agencies ask victims to report attempted fraud as well as completed payments.

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What mistakes should I avoid after an impersonation?

  • Continuing the conversation: Every reply can reveal more information or signal that your account is active.
  • Sending a “verification” payment: A small transfer can become proof that you will pay again.
  • Clicking a recovery link: A link supplied by the impersonator may steal credentials or install malware.
  • Trusting caller ID: Numbers can be spoofed; call back through an independently found official number.
  • Editing the only evidence: Cropping, enhancing, or converting media can remove metadata and context.
  • Posting accusations publicly: Public reposts can spread harmful material, expose private data, or interfere with an investigation.
  • Waiting for one channel: Platform moderation, bank recovery, and criminal reporting are separate processes; start each relevant one promptly.

What happens after I submit reports?

Save every confirmation number and maintain a single timeline of contacts with the FTC, IC3, police, platform, bank, and employer. Respond to follow-up requests from official addresses, but verify the address independently before opening attachments or sharing more information. Agencies may not provide case updates, and a platform may remove content without disclosing the account holder.

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Continue monitoring accounts, credit activity, and new impersonation attempts. Tell close contacts how to verify requests supposedly sent by you, especially if your voice, profile photo, or email account was copied. If new evidence appears, submit it through the existing case channel rather than creating contradictory public posts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I report an AI impersonation if I did not lose money?

Yes. Report attempted fraud, suspicious profiles, and threats even when no payment occurred. Include what the impersonator requested and explain how you verified that the identity was false; attempted incidents can help agencies and platforms connect related activity.

Should I contact the person whose identity was copied?

Use an independently verified contact method, not the suspicious account or phone number. A brief warning can help the real person secure their accounts and alert others, but avoid forwarding abusive or intimate material and do not put yourself at risk.

How long should I keep deepfake evidence?

Keep the original files, screenshots, headers, transaction records, and report confirmations for as long as the platform, bank, insurer, or law-enforcement matter remains open. Retain a secure backup after resolution in case the content reappears or a related incident is discovered.

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Can investigators identify who made a synthetic voice or video?

Sometimes, but attribution depends on records held by platforms, telecommunications providers, payment services, and devices. Your preserved URLs, timestamps, account identifiers, and transaction details are more useful for that process than a personal claim that a file “looks fake.”

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