N.S. woman says duct-cleaning company used AI-generated photos to fake work

A woman from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, claims she was scammed by a duct-cleaning company that allegedly used AI-generated photos to make it appear as though their services had been completed. Shernette Smith was lured by an ad on Facebook Marketplace offering home duct-cleaning services for $150. She met with two men on October 9 and was told her furnace's blower motor was "filthy."

The workers showed her photos of a seemingly clean motor, charged her $300 for the cleaning, and later showed Smith photos that appeared to show the motor had been cleaned. Upon further inspection, Smith discovered the pictures were different from the ones shown earlier. The company, Fresh Air Quality, boasts of offering air-duct cleaning services across Canada on their website, which includes testimonials from satisfied customers.

Cybersecurity experts analyzed the website and photos, finding that the motor image was AI-generated, and they traced the phone numbers to other pages offering the same service under different names. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association advises consumers to take precautions when hiring companies, as the industry is not highly regulated.

Smith ultimately received a refund but advises others to be cautious and verify the legitimacy of such services.