Anonymous plant seller AI image incident — Sep 2026

On September 17, 2026, an anonymous plant seller reported an attempt by a buyer to secure a refund through the use of fabricated photographic evidence. The buyer claimed a Hoya plant arrived in poor condition due to shipping damage, supporting the claim with images of a withered specimen.

What happened

The seller grew suspicious of the claim because the Hoya was in excellent condition prior to shipping and is known as a hardy plant. The seller compared the provided images against their own records, noting discrepancies such as the appearance of an extra leaf in the allegedly damaged photos that was not present before the plant was shipped. Community members on Reddit analyzed the images and identified a SynthID watermark, confirming the photos were AI-generated. The incident highlights a growing trend where bad actors utilize image synthesis to manufacture evidence of damaged goods to defraud online sellers. Suggested verification methods for sellers include requesting detailed video evidence of the plant from multiple angles to ensure the physical condition matches the claim.