I think this foster care foundation is using Ai to scam people, is this child AI?
A Reddit user questioned whether a foster care foundation was using AI-generated images of children to solicit donations in May 2026, sparking debate about the image's authenticity.
- Incident date
- May 2026
- Target
- Foster Care Foundation (unnamed)
In May 2026, a Reddit user posted to r/isthisAI, questioning the authenticity of a photo sent by a foster care foundation to their mother, who was sending money to "parent" a specific child. The user suspected the image was AI-generated and potentially part of a scam.
What happened
The user pointed to perceived anomalies in the child's hands in the image as evidence of AI involvement. Other users chimed in, some noting a possible hand deformation (preaxial polydactyly) that could be real but should have been mentioned in the child's profile. Additional observations included mismatched ear sizes, an off-center earring, and inconsistent lighting, further fueling suspicions of AI manipulation. One commenter linked to childwelfare.gov, suggesting verifying the facility through official channels. Others raised concerns about privacy violations and the ethics of foster homes soliciting sponsors with children's images.