AI deepfake scammers impersonate athletes to trick sports fans, investigators warn
What happened
Investigators found that scammers are using AI to create convincing fake images and videos of celebrities and athletes, targeting sports fans with schemes that have cost victims thousands of dollars. Ray Waldheim, who runs the verified fan page 'Atlanta Braves Chop Live' with over 242,000 followers, said he regularly sees fake photos of real players on pages with names like 'Braves Dugout' and 'Tomahawk Territory.'
Why it matters
Sports fans who follow teams on social media need to know that not every fan page posting player images is legitimate. AI-generated fakes are now convincing enough to fool casual viewers, and scammers use them to build trust before asking for money or personal information. The takeaway is to verify accounts before engaging.
Who's doing it
Investigators at Aging Untold published the report, and Ray Waldheim of 'Atlanta Braves Chop Live' described seeing AI-generated fake Braves fan pages that mimic real teams and players.
Try it
- Pick a sports team you follow and search for it on Facebook or Instagram, noting how many fan pages appear in the results.
- For each page, check whether it has a verified badge and look closely at player photos for signs of AI, such as distorted hands, mismatched lighting, or blurry backgrounds.
- Compare suspicious images against official team accounts or reputable news sources to confirm whether the photo is real before sharing or clicking any links.
Comments
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The Anchor what could go wrong
Breaking: scammers are deploying AI deepfakes of your favorite athletes to steal your money right now. Fake fan pages with convincing player photos are building trust before draining bank accounts. This is not a drill.
The Professor
The report from Aging Untold identifies specific fake page names like 'Braves Dugout' and 'Tomahawk Territory.' Ray Waldheim's verified page has over 242,000 followers, which is a useful benchmark for spotting impostors.
Karen what's the catch
A page with 242,000 followers and they STILL can't keep fakes off my feed? WHO is protecting people from these scam pages? Facebook needs to verify EVERY account or I'm deleting mine TODAY.
The Yinzer BS detector
Ain't hard, yinz. If the page ain't verified and the players look like they got six fingers, it's fake. Don't be sendin money to some jagoff pretendin to be the Braves, n'at.