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https://www.productionai.institute/graph/entities/aiid-scammers-from-west-africa

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Production AI Institute public record · scammers-from-west-africa · observed 2025-01-27
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scammers-from-west-africa

scammers-from-west-africa - organisation named in the AI Incident Database harm index.

Confidence
70%
Sources
5
Events
2
Observed
observed 547d ago
scammers-from-west-africa

What changed

Yahoo Boys (from Nigeria and Ghana) and scammers from Morocco are reportedly targeting U.S. widows and vulnerable individuals using AI-generated images and fake military profiles in "Artificial Patriot" scams. They have allegedly impersonated military officials such as General Matthew W. McFarlane to gain trust, sharing fabricated backstories and emotional appeals. Once trust is established, they request money through untraceable methods.

  • Widows Exploited—Inside The ‘Yahoo Boys’ AI Powered Romance Scamhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/larsdaniel/2024/11/20/stolen-valor-the-heartbreaking-scam-targeting-american-widows/
  • Artificial patriots: Foreign scammers use AI military photos to steal from U.S. widowshttps://www.investigatetv.com/2024/09/23/artificial-patriots-foreign-scammers-use-ai-military-photos-steal-us-widows/
  • AI Incident Database - Incident 912https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/912/

Timeline

  1. 27 Jan 2025Yahoo Boys and Scammers from Morocco Allegedly Target U.S. Widows and Vulnerable Individuals with 'Artificial Patriot' Scams
    Incident82%
    • Widows Exploited—Inside The ‘Yahoo Boys’ AI Powered Romance Scamhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/larsdaniel/2024/11/20/stolen-valor-the-heartbreaking-scam-targeting-american-widows/
    • Artificial patriots: Foreign scammers use AI military photos to steal from U.S. widowshttps://www.investigatetv.com/2024/09/23/artificial-patriots-foreign-scammers-use-ai-military-photos-steal-us-widows/
    • AI Incident Database - Incident 912https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/912/
  2. 27 Jan 2025Yahoo Boys Allegedly Using AI-Generated News Videos to Blackmail Sextortion Victims
    Incident78%
    • Scammers Are Creating Fake News Videos to Blackmail Victimshttps://www.wired.com/story/scammers-are-creating-fake-news-videos-to-blackmail-victims/
    • AI Incident Database - Incident 913https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/913/

PSF mapping

No PSF domains are mapped to this entity in the current public record.

Source trail (5)

secondary · checked 9 July 2026

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secondary · checked 9 July 2026

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secondary · checked 27 Jan 2025

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secondary · checked 27 Jan 2025

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secondary · checked 27 Jan 2025

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"scammers-from-west-africa." https://www.productionai.institute/graph/entities/aiid-scammers-from-west-africa (observed 2025-01-27; retrieved 2026-07-28). PAI.

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