10 Tales Of Tech Scams And Digtial Deception

Over the past year, we’ve seen no shortage of deception: some of it clever, some of it outrageous, and some of it deeply revealing. We’ve seen fake identities used to expose bias, deepfakes spread like wildfire, and high-profile figures go to great lengths to hide the truth (or rewrite it entirely)

From a lying ex-husband and cross-country Uber pranks to investor fraud, corporate lawsuits, and social media misinformation, here are ten stories to catch up on this April Fools’ Day.

1. 10 years for scamming investors – or not

Carlos Watson, the co-founder of Ozy Media, was sentenced to 116 months in prison for defrauding investors and misrepresenting the company’s finances. Prosecutors accused Watson and his now-defunct media startup of inflating revenue projections and audience numbers, using tactics such as fake contracts and impersonating key figures. However, on March 28, just hours before he was scheduled to report to prison, Watson received clemency from Donald Trump.

2. The tale of a deceitful ex-husband

One year ago, Tareasa “Reesa Teesa” Johnson took the internet by storm. Her 50-part TikTok series Who TF Did I Marry? documented her relationship with an ex-husband, “Legion,” a man whose deception ranged from fabricated family members to forging documents.  Over 450 million views later, Hollywood came knocking. ABC Signature is adapting the series, with Emmy-nominated Natasha Rothwell on board to star and produce.

3. Meta Axes its Fact-Checking System

Social media is rife with disinformation, and Meta’s decision to end its fact-checking system in favor of a community notes model similar to X’s may only make things worse. Critics argue the move could fuel misinformation, particularly in Black and marginalized communities that already face disproportionate exposure to online disinformation and hate speech.

4. A Beauty Pageant Sparked a Taxi Prank War

Last summer, Uber and Bolt drivers in Nigeria and South Africa found themselves embroiled in a prank war. After Nigerian finalist Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the Miss South Africa contest due to xenophobic backlash—and later won Miss Universe Nigeria—riders in both countries began booking and canceling rides in protest. Bolt and Uber drivers in both nations found themselves chasing non-existent customers, causing delays, wasted fuel, and frustration.

5. A Fake LinkedIn Profile

After months of struggling to land a job, Aliyah Jones wondered if her race played a part in this and wanted to try an experiment. This is where Emily Osborne, an AI-generated blonde-haired, blue-eyed white woman, was created. Osborne and Jones shared the same experience, CV, and skill sets; their only difference was their name and race. Sadly, what happened next wasn’t really a surprise.

6. Forbes to Fraud

In November, Joanna Smith-Griffin, founder of the education-focused AI startup AllHere Education and a Forbes 30 Under 30 alum, was charged with fraud and identity theft. Prosecutors allege she secured nearly $10 million in investments by inflating revenue figures and claiming non-existent contracts with major school districts, including New York City Public Schools.

Read: April Fools' Day 2024 - 9 Tech Tales Of Fakes, Fraud, And Finesse

7. Election deepfakes

AI-generated content plagued the recent US presidential election. Among the most controversial incidents: a deepfake of Kamala Harris disparaging then President Joe Biden and boasting about being the “ultimate diversity hire.” Elon Musk amplified the deepfake on X without any disclaimer, seemingly violating his platform’s own policy on manipulated media.

8. Dwight Jackson to John Jebrowski

Dwight Jackson filed a lawsuit against the Shinola Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, after he found changing his name on a resume led to a job interview. The lawsuit alleges that Jackson was initially denied a job interview due to his real name but was subsequently offered an interview after changing his name on his resume to “John Jebrowski.”  This act led Jackson to take legal action, claiming that the hotel’s hiring practices violated the Michigan Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act.

9. Amazon accused of cheating Black ZIP Codes

Amazon got itself into hot water over its Prime delivery service. In a lawsuit, the District of Columbia alleges the tech giant halted its fastest delivery service in two predominantly Black, lower-income ZIP codes—20019 and 20020—while continuing to charge for the service. The suit claims Amazon quietly switched to slower third-party carriers in 2022, leading to delays for residents in those areas.

10. Hidden fees and deceptive practices

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing SoLo Funds, an online lending platform marketed as a fee-free alternative to payday loans. According to the CFPB, the company used deceptive tactics to pressure borrowers into paying “tips” and “donations,” obscuring the true cost of its loans.

POCIT’s Samara Linton contributed to this story.