In St. Johns County, Florida, the woman revealed she was swindled out of her entire savings by a scammer posing as a doctor using artificial intelligence. This fraudulent investment was presented as a chance to benefit her grandson, Josh, whom she has lovingly cared for since his childhood. Josh, now 28, was diagnosed with autism at the tender age of two and continues to reside with his grandmother.

“He’s wonderful,” Meleck expressed. “I love him to death.”

Due to her inability to drive, Meleck spends significant time browsing the internet. While navigating through Facebook, she stumbled upon a video featuring a doctor she recognized and trusted from the autism community. The video promoted an enticing investment opportunity, leading Meleck to believe it was genuine.

Meleck said she spends much of her time online since she no longer drives. While scrolling through Facebook, she came across a video of a doctor she recognized from the autism community, someone she thought she could trust. The video encouraged viewers to join an investment opportunity.

“It looked completely real, his face, his voice, everything,” she said. “I wanted to save more money for my grandson, and so I fell for it: hook, line and sinker.”

The video turned out to be a deepfake, a computer-generated imitation created using artificial intelligence. Meleck said the scammer gained access to her online banking information, draining the $200,000 she had saved for her grandson’s future.

“It was being held for Josh when I passed away,” she said. “I got very emotional and so angry with myself that I had difficulty functioning. I lost 20 pounds and couldn’t sleep because it went through my mind over and over again.”

The FBI reports that scams like these are rising sharply. Since 2020, the agency has received more than 4.2 million reports of fraud, totaling $50.5 billion in losses. Experts say AI technology has made it harder for people to tell what’s real online.

Officials advise people to look for inconsistencies in videos, such as unnatural blinking or mismatched lip movement, to verify requests using trusted phone numbers or websites and to question emotional or urgent appeals for money.

“People who steal from others, especially those in need, are just heartless,” Meleck said.

Meleck filed a police report with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

She says she’s sharing her story as a warning, hoping others will think twice before believing what they see online.

A GoFundMe has been created to help the family.