Description: Consumers were allegedly defrauded by AI-generated scam websites impersonating Joann Fabrics following the retailer's bankruptcy. The alleged impostor sites reportedly used Joann's branding to steal credit card details and personal data and leaving victims without products. Cybersecurity firm Netcraft estimated that nearly 100,000 domains created with AI tools were impersonating 194 brands, accounting for a reported 6–7% of global phishing activity.
Entities
View all entitiesAlleged: Unknown generative AI developers developed an AI system deployed by Unknown scammers and Unknown cybercriminals, which harmed Consumers , Shoppers , Customers , General public , Joann's Fabrics and Companies whose domains and websites are impersonated by scammers.
Alleged implicated AI system: Unknown generative AI technology
Incident Stats
Risk Subdomain
A further 23 subdomains create an accessible and understandable classification of hazards and harms associated with AI
4.3. Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation
Risk Domain
The Domain Taxonomy of AI Risks classifies risks into seven AI risk domains: (1) Discrimination & toxicity, (2) Privacy & security, (3) Misinformation, (4) Malicious actors & misuse, (5) Human-computer interaction, (6) Socioeconomic & environmental harms, and (7) AI system safety, failures & limitations.
- Malicious Actors & Misuse
Entity
Which, if any, entity is presented as the main cause of the risk
AI
Timing
The stage in the AI lifecycle at which the risk is presented as occurring
Post-deployment
Intent
Whether the risk is presented as occurring as an expected or unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
Intentional
Incident Reports
Reports Timeline
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When Joann Fabrics filed for bankruptcy for the second time within a year this January, scammers seized the opportunity. Within days, a flurry of impostor websites appeared with URLs like "joannlosangeles.com," "jo-annclosingonsale.shop" an…
Variants
A "variant" is an AI incident similar to a known case—it has the same causes, harms, and AI system. Instead of listing it separately, we group it under the first reported incident. Unlike other incidents, variants do not need to have been reported outside the AIID. Learn more from the research paper.
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