DELTONA, Fla. – An emotional reunion unfolded in Deltona after a family was reunited with their beloved dog, Archer, days after he went missing, and after they say they were targeted by a disturbing scam involving artificial intelligence.
Lytton Cosens said the ordeal began late Saturday night after returning home from an Orlando Solar Bears game.
“When we got home, usually the dogs are there to welcome you,” Cosens said. “But this time, only one came instead of three.”
The family quickly realized their 11-year-old beagle mix, Archer, was missing and spent hours searching their neighborhood.
The next morning, they received a phone call from someone claiming to have found Archer. The caller said the dog had been hit by a car and needed emergency surgery.
“The first thing we’re thinking is, ‘Oh my gosh, somebody found him,’” Cosens said. “They said, ‘We need to do emergency surgery. Do we have authorization?’ And we said yes.”
But things took a turn when the caller demanded more than $2,700 for the procedure and insisted the payment be made using gift cards.
The family asked for proof that the dog was in the caller’s care.
“And then he sent us a picture, and at first glance, it’s my dog, laying on an operating table,” Cosens said.
The images appeared convincing at first, but the family soon noticed inconsistencies. They said Archer’s fur patterns looked different, and an X-ray included in the images was dated back to 2022.
The request for payment through gift cards also raised red flags.
“She hung up with them and said, ‘No, there is something wrong,’” Cosens said. “I was thinking something too, but I didn’t want to be the reason we didn’t save the dog.”
Later that afternoon, a neighbor told the family they saw a woman pick up Archer after he got loose in the yard. Days later, that same woman and vehicle returned, dropping Archer off in front of the home Thursday morning.
“The biggest fortunate thing is we got Archer back,” Cosens said. “The poor guy is just emotionally worn out. He’s been through the wringer for about five days.”
The family said they are grateful to have Archer home safely and are now warning others about the potential dangers of AI being used in scams.
“If you’re going to hit someone at their lowest and then try to scam them…” Cosens said. “Justice will be done.”
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation into the case.