Army veteran Raymond Gilbert, 63, from Bradenstoke, Wiltshire, reported being scammed by a TikTok account that he believed belonged to a fellow ex-serviceman. Mr Gilbert spent £154.99 on a wooden flag advertised as handmade, which he said turned out to be made in China.
Experts have warned of an increase in AI-generated "pity scams" that use fake videos of injured ex-military personnel to sell products online. The BBC identified 45 similar TikTok accounts, along with others on different platforms, selling military-themed items.
Following the BBC's findings, TikTok stated it has strict rules against "harmfully misleading AI-generated content and scams" and confirmed the removal of the content and accounts shared with them. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and YouTube also confirmed they had removed violative content and channels.
Technology expert Will Guyatt noted the difficulty in distinguishing these AI-generated videos from reality, stating they can be created in minutes to be deliberately emotional. Daniel Fletcher, a senior associate at Forbes Solicitors, highlighted the challenges consumers face in obtaining refunds due to the territorial nature of these adverts.