The Coconut Creek Police Department is warning residents about a scam using the name and likeness of CNN medical commentator and brain surgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta after an 80-year-old woman fell victim to the scheme.
According to a police scam alert, the scheme—making its first known appearance in Coconut Creek—relies on artificial intelligence to create convincing deepfakes of Dr. Gupta’s image, voice, and video. The fraudulent materials are being used to promote fake health cures and bogus products, police said.
Gupta first warned of the scam in July during a CNN appearance, where he noted that scammers were exploiting AI to impersonate him.
Police said the 80-year-old woman in Coconut Creek recently fell victim to the fraud after one of the scammers called her by phone. She not only sent money but also provided personal information that could be used to steal her identity, police said.
Authorities said such scams increasingly rely on AI-generated deepfakes that make it appear victims are hearing or seeing real people.
The department urged residents to stay vigilant and remember that if something “sounds too good to be true, it is.” Anyone receiving unsolicited calls or messages promising easy solutions should ignore them, police said.
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