AI-generated photo almost scams Sunward Park family searching for missing dog

Sunward Park resident Moreen Botha is warning the community to be cautious after she was scammed with an AI-generated photo that falsely claimed her missing Boston terrier, Bakkies, had been found deceased.

The misleading image caused distress and briefly halted the search, but once it was confirmed to be false, Botha resumed efforts to find her dog and alerted others to potential scams targeting distressed pet owners.

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Bakkies has been missing since December 22 in Sunward Park after the garden service accidentally left the gate open. Recently, a woman contacted Botha, claiming that Bakkies had been found and sent a photo.

“In our emotional state at the time, we believed the photo was of Bakkies and did not realise that the surroundings in the image did not match the area we were taken to see,” she said.

The family went to the location described, but found nothing. When the woman later met them in person, she said that neighbours had complained about a smell and mentioned removal. At the time, the family accepted this explanation and paused the search, beginning to mourn their pet.

After reviewing the information more carefully, Botha realised the photo was edited, and the surroundings did not match the location she had been shown.

She was later asked to pay a reward, confirming her suspicions that the photo had been sent as part of a scam.

Bakkies has not been confirmed deceased, and the search is now back on.

No police case was opened, as no actual fraud occurred.

Botha described the experience as “extremely traumatic” and urged the community to help continue the search. She said Bakkies is friendly and may be with someone who picked him up, thinking he was lost.

“We are not giving up. We believe Bakkies is still alive and waiting to come home. Please keep sharing, checking yards, asking neighbours, and spreading the word. Thank you for your continued support.”

Anyone who sees Bakkies or knows his whereabouts should contact Botha on 076 822 1024 or take him to the nearest vet.

SPCA says scams are rife
According to Sue Beadon, secretary of the Boksburg SPCA, scamming is rife when it comes to missing animals.

“I often see people on social media groups being scammed. In some cases, individuals send messages claiming they have found the animal but request payment upfront. After the payment has been made, the owner discovers the person does not have the animal.

“This is why it is best not to pay any money until you have seen your animal with your own eyes. This is also why we don’t post pictures of missing animals ourselves. People will use AI to make it look like it is their animal,” said Beadon.

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She added that this is also a growing problem in the sale of animals.

“People see cute puppies or kittens advertised online and make a payment for the furry friend, only to discover that the animal does not exist or is in poor condition.

“Many people have been scammed out of large sums of money. I am aware of someone who lost R30 000 trying to buy a cat. If you cannot see the animal, there probably is no animal.”