When Seeing Isn’t Believing: A Guide to Spotting AI Fakes Online

I saw a picture of my neighbor, Herb, the other day. In it, he was accepting a Nobel Prize for inventing a self-weeding garden hose.

He was shaking hands with the King of Sweden, and a bald eagle was perched on his shoulder, shedding patriotic tears. It was a beautiful, inspiring image.

It was also completely, utterly fake.

Welcome to the new digital neighborhood, where computers are learning to be artists, photographers, and filmmakers. This technology, called Artificial IntelligenceArtificial Intelligence (AI) is basically when computers get smart—really smart. Imagine if your c... More (AI), is incredible.

But just like Herb’s prize-winning photo, it can also be used to create some serious baloney. Our goal here at Senior Tech Cafe is to give you a simple toolkit to tell the real from the really-well-faked.

Foundation: What Exactly Are These AI Fakes?

Think of AI as a student who has studied millions of photos of cats. If you ask it to draw a cat, it will create a brand-new image based on everything it has learned.

It won’t be a copy of any single photo; it will be a unique creation that looks convincingly like a cat.

Now, apply that to everything: people, places, and events.

• AI-Generated Images: These are pictures created from scratch by a computer, based on a text description. For example, “A photo of a senior couple laughing on a tandem bicycle on the moon.”
• DeepfakesDeepfake technology uses advanced artificial intelligence to swap one person’s face onto another i... More: This is where things get a bit more personal. A deepfake is typically a video where someone’s face has been digitally swapped with someone else’s. Imagine a video of a famous actor seemingly endorsing a sketchy investment, when in reality, they never said a word of it.

Scammers use this technology because it preys on our most basic instinct: we trust our eyes. But in today’s world, we need to upgrade that instinct to “trust, but verify.”

Building: Your Detective Toolkit: How to Spot the Tells

Becoming an AI detective doesn’t require a trench coat or a magnifying glass. You just need to know where to look. AI is a brilliant student, but it still makes silly mistakes, especially with the fine details.

The Telltale Signs in AI Images

When you see a photo that feels a little… off, play a game of “spot the weirdness.”

1. The Hands and Ears: AI really struggles with human anatomy. Count the fingers! You’ll often find people with six fingers, or fingers that bend like spaghetti. Ears might be mismatched, or teeth might look like a row of perfectly uniform Tic Tacs. Why? Because these are incredibly complex and varied parts of our bodies, and the AI just hasn’t perfected them yet.
2. Bizarre Backgrounds: Look past the main subject. Do the patterns on the wallpaper repeat unnaturally? Does a lamppost seem to melt into the brick wall behind it? AI focuses on making the main subject look good and often gets lazy with the background, resulting in a mess of warped or illogical details.
3. Unnatural Textures: Does the person’s skin look too perfect, like polished plastic? Does their sweater have a texture that seems painted on? AI often over-smooths things, removing the natural imperfections of life and creating a “waxy” or airbrushed look.
4. Words That Don’t Work: If there’s any text in the image—on a sign, a t-shirt, or a book—try to read it. AI is notoriously bad at creating letters and words that make sense. You’ll often see a jumble of nonsensical characters that look like a cat walked across the keyboard.

Clues to Spotting Deepfake Videos

Videos are trickier, but the same principle applies: the AI creator often misses the subtle cues of being human.

1. Awkward Movements: Watch how the person moves. Is their head movement stiff or jerky? Do they blink strangely, or not at all? Real people have a natural rhythm to their movements that AI struggles to replicate.
2. Lip-Sync Stowaways: Pay close attention to the mouth. In many deepfakes, the words you hear don’t perfectly match the movement of the person’s lips. It can be a subtle delay, but it’s a huge red flag.
3. Lighting and Shadow Goof-ups: If a person’s face is lit from the left, but the shadow on the wall behind them is cast from the right, something is wrong. Inconsistent lighting is a classic sign that a face has been digitally placed onto a different body or into a different scene.

Mastery: Protecting Yourself from AI Scams

Knowing how to spot a fake is one thing; knowing how scammers use them is another. These tools are most dangerous when they’re used to manipulate your emotions.

• The Grandparent Scam 2.0: Scammers can use AI to clone a few seconds of your grandchild’s voice from a social mediaSocial media refers to online platforms and websites that enable users to create, share, and interac... More video. They then call you, using that cloned voice to cry for help, claiming they’re in trouble and need money wired immediately. The voice sounds real, creating panic that overrides logic.
• Fake Celebrity Endorsements: You might see a video of a famous, trustworthy financial expert promoting a “can’t-miss” investment opportunity. It looks and sounds just like them, but it’s a deepfake designed to steal your money.
• Romance Scams: A potential love interest online might use an AI-generated profile picture of someone who looks perfect. They build an emotional connection before they inevitably have an “emergency” that requires your financial help.

The best defense is a healthy dose of skepticism. If a message or video asks for money or personal information, especially with a sense of urgency, stop. Take a breath. And verify.

Action: What to Do If You’ve Been Fooled (and How to Help Others)

First, it is not your fault. This technology is designed to be deceptive, and it fools even the most tech-savvy people. The most important thing is how you respond.

1. Pause and Verify: If you get a frantic call from a loved one asking for money, hang up. Call them back on the number you have saved for them. Establish a family “code word” that only you would know. If the caller doesn’t know it, it’s a scam.
2. Don’t Click, Don’t Send: If an investment opportunity from a celebrity looks too good to be true, it is. Never send money or give financial information based on an online video or ad. Go to official sources.
3. Report It: If you encounter a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the FBI’s InternetThe Internet is a vast network of computers and other electronic devices connected globally, allowin... More Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Reporting helps authorities track these criminals and protect others.
4. Share Your Knowledge: Talk to your friends and family about this. The more people who know what to look for, the less effective these scams become. You can be the one who saves a friend from a costly mistake.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Your Journey to Digital Confidence

Navigating this new world can feel like learning a new language, but you’re already on your way. By simply reading this, you’re more prepared than you were ten minutes ago.

Remember Herb and his fake Nobel Prize—a funny example of a serious topic. Keep your sense of humor, but also keep your guard up.

For a more detailed breakdown with even more examples, be sure to check out our complete guide on how to spot AI-generated images. The digital world is vast, but with the right map, it’s a lot less scary and a lot more fun to explore.