Deepfakes have shifted from a niche concern to a mass-market threat. May’s incidents show how consumer-grade tools now outpace any institutional response.
The damage extends into crypto. Scammers leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to create impersonation scams.
In early May 2026, AI-generated content showed up across politics, entertainment, and crime, as documented by Resemble AI.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted a video that appeared to use AI to generate shots nearly identical to those in the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” music video. Furthermore, an AI video of mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt drew 4.1 million views on X.
Follow us on X to get the latest news as it happens
These tools aren’t just being used for viral content. They are also fueling real financial harm. A Chicago man lost $69,000 to a scammer who flashed an AI-generated US Marshals badge on a video call.
Meanwhile, the Atlantic’s Lila Shroff found that OpenAI’s ChatGPT Images 2.0 can generate fake IDs, prescriptions, receipts, bank alerts, and news screenshots.
“All of this makes it even harder for banks, hospitals, government agencies, and the like to prevent fraud,” Shroff wrote.
404 Media exposed Haotian AI, a Chinese real-time deepfake software. Reporter Joseph Cox swapped faces on a live Teams call using this, proving the technology is functional, for sale, and already being used against real victims.
“Three of this week’s stories, Haotian AI, the Meloni deepfake, and the Patel FBI video, come from completely different categories and geographies, but they share a structural condition: the tools used to produce the harm are consumer-grade, widely available, and improving faster than any institutional response. Haotian AI costs a few hundred dollars and works on Teams. ChatGPT Images 2.0 is a subscription product,” Resemble AI said.
Crypto has become a prime target for AI-driven deception. According to Chainalysis, fraudsters are now pairing deepfakes, face-swap apps, and large language models with classic romance and investment cons, and the math favors them.
The average AI-assisted crypto scam nets roughly $3.2 million, about 4.5 times the haul of a conventional scheme. Several cases underline the threat. In August 2025, attackers stole $2 million by impersonating the founder of Plasma.
BeInCrypto has also reported on North Korean operatives running deepfake video calls on Zoom. Together, these incidents mark AI-powered impersonation as one of the sector’s most pressing security risks.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch leaders and journalists provide expert insights
The post ChatGPT Images 2.0 Is Becoming a Market Fraud Tool with Deepfakes appeared first on BeInCrypto.
XRP has reclaimed $1.42 with a 9% weekly gain as a bull flag pattern forms. Analysts target $1.78–$5.50 on breakout. Key levels, scenarios, and market
$XRP price is trading at $1.41, down more than 30% year-to-date. Now, put Blackrock into the picture, and XRP is starting to look undervalued. The
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse hints at “something special” for XRP holders tied to a potential IPO. XRP trades at $1.42 with $2.40 analyst targets —
Sam Altman ChatGPT AI Predicts the Price of XRP By the End of 2026 The post Sam Altman ChatGPT AI Predicts the Price of XRP
Blockchain Bodega is here and you know the vibes. We’re at the intersection of hip-hop culture and web3, exploring this new digital frontier. Who better to guide you through these uncharted lanes than Ock Chain – The Bitcoin Boss and the Consensus Corner Boys?
Ock Chain doesn’t just cook up random details about cryptocurrency; he lives it. Ock’s been deep in the game since Bitcoin was just a baby.
And let’s not forget about the Consensus Corner Boys. They’re our skilled crew of blockchain enthusiasts. They’re here to educate, entertain, and enlighten.
Welcome to Blockchain Bodega!
Copyright © 2023 Blockchain Bodega. All rights reserved.
