An AI-generated scam targeting St. Petersburg pet owners cost a local couple $1,900 after scammers pose as police officers and used fake images to convince them their missing German Shepherd puppy needed emergency surgery.
The couple, Michelle and Dennis Morida, say they began searching after their dog, Hazel, after the puppy slipped through a small gap in a backyard fence. They posted online asking for help searching.
Later that night, someone calls claiming to be with the St. Petersburg police, saying the puppy had been hit by a car. The caller sent the couple a picture they believed was Hazel, in a vet’s office, with a woman in scrubs behind her.
Believing the image is legitimate, the couple sends $1,900 through the banking app Zelle.
The next day, they discovered Hazel inside their golf cart.
Pet hospitals say they never request emergency payments over the phone and warn that AI is making scams more convincing.
The Moridas say they are sharing their experience so others do not fall victim.
“It kept beating me up,” said Morida. “I believe everything happens for a reason, and this could be the reason right here.”
