The fake AI veteran scam

It’s never been easier to scam someone online.

Now, AI-generated “pity scams” use fake injured veterans to sell cheap mass-produced products.

They leverage three powerful psychological biases to persuade the masses.

On today’s Nudge, I explain how and why it’s so hard to stop the scammers.

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BBC’s fake veteran reporting: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgy0lz08keo

BBC’s Jean Philanthrope reporting: bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c60qkdjvx70ko

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Connect on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew

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Today’s sources:

Bickman, L. (1974). The social power of a uniform. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 4(1), 47–61.

Buell, R. W., Kim, T., & Tsay, C.-J. (2016). Creating reciprocal value through operational transparency. Management Science, 62(6), 1–23.

Office for Veterans' Affairs. (2023). Perceptions of UK armed forces ex-service personnel. GOV.UK.gov.uk/government/publications/perceptions-of-…

Xygalatas, D., Mitkidis, P., Fischer, R., Reddish, P., Skewes, J., Geertz, A. W., Roepstorff, A., & Bulbulia, J. (2013). Extreme rituals promote prosociality. Psychological Science, 24(8), 1602–1605.