Ohio Man Scammed by AI Video He Thought Was Jelly Roll

While AI has completely taken over the internet, it can be incredibly difficult for users to differentiate between what is real and what is a product of artificial intelligence. And with the technology becoming more advanced, many artists lashed out at AI for creating music and even entire bands. But recently, an Ohio resident warned that AI was doing more than creating memes, as he was scammed by a video he thought featured country singer Jelly Roll. 

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Over the years, scammers used social media to pretend to be famous celebrities and singers, hoping to get money from fans. Although knowing the signs to watch out for, Ronnie Flint found himself dealing with an entirely different problem when he received a message saying he won a new car from Jelly Roll. “I really thought it was Jelly Roll.” Take a look at the picture of the fake Jelly Roll.

In the video, the fake Jelly Roll congratulated the fan on winning a new $50,000 car. While the real Jelly Roll has been known to donate to the community, the video came with one stipulation – Flint needed to pay for shipping. Even with the cost of shipping, it didn’t come close to what the car was worth.

[RELATED: Jelly Roll and the Grand Ole Opry Team Up for a Worthy Cause]

Is It Jelly Roll Or Jolly Roll?

Hesitant about following through with paying the shipping costs, the scammers used AI to take their fake story to an entirely different level. Sending Flint a second video, he said, “When they sent the second video where he actually said my full name, that got me. I was like, wow, it really is Jelly Roll. He said my name.”   

To add to the scam, the criminal even provided Flint with a picture of Jelly Roll’s driver’s license. But as pictured below, there were a few red flags, like his name being “Jolly Roll.” The fake license also forgot that Jelly Roll’s real name was Jason DeFord. 

Even with all the mistakes made, Flint couldn’t pass up the opportunity and decided to send the fake Jelly Roll a $70 Apple gift card. “I even told him that I’m on disability. You know, this is all the money that I have for the rest of the month.” 

Not satisfied, the scammers pressed Flint for more. Thankfully, Flint’s family stepped in, protecting him from sending any more money. “They’re thinking I’m going to send them another $30 on the 3rd, which ain’t going to happen.” Once learning that it was all a scam, the fan quickly contacted the local police to file a report. 

Just the latest way to trick people into sending money, authorities urged fans to never interact with celebrities asking them for gift cards, funds, or personal account information. 

(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Stand Up To Cancer)