Brazil: Man narrowly avoids AI-generated dinosaur scam

A man in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais, narrowly avoided a scam involving the purported sale of “mini dinosaurs” for R$500. The fraudulent advertisement circulated via WhatsApp status updates, featuring a video of small reptiles in a setting that resembled a chicken coop, complete with feeders and waterers.

The scammer used artificial intelligence to create the convincing footage. The deception was identified when the potential buyer’s acquaintance noticed a Google Gemini watermark in the corner of the video, suggesting the imagery was AI-generated. The seller had demanded payment via Pix before providing additional photos, a tactic that ultimately raised the victim's suspicions.