Police say fake accounts made a fraudulent order appear legitimate, while store managers stopped the attempted pickup before merchandise changed hands.
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A 20-year-old Georgia man has been charged after Chatham County police said he used artificial intelligence to create fraudulent accounts while posing as a delivery driver, an attempted retail scheme that officers say marks the department’s first criminal case directly linked to AI.
Dieon Cornelius Love was arrested Sept. 7 and charged with criminal attempt to commit a misdemeanor, according to police reports. Authorities said Love went to a major national retailer while posing as a delivery driver who was there to collect an order. Investigators allege that AI-created accounts helped make fraudulent orders appear legitimate. Store managers noticed warning signs and contacted police before any merchandise was released.
Police have disclosed few details about exactly how the alleged scheme worked. Authorities have not publicly identified the artificial intelligence service or software they believe was used, explained how the accounts were created or said what information was generated or altered. That leaves significant technical questions unresolved as investigators continue examining what police described as a new type of case for the department.
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said the alleged use of artificial intelligence distinguished the investigation from more familiar retail fraud cases. “Technology is moving at breakneck speed, and AI adds a new and uncharted element to criminal activity,” Hadley said. Police credited employees at the retailer with identifying irregularities and contacting law enforcement before the attempted transaction was completed.
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office booking information lists Love under his full name and shows that he was arrested by Chatham County police on Sept. 7. The booking record listed a $1,300 bond. The criminal charge is an accusation, and the available police and booking records do not establish that Love has been convicted of wrongdoing in connection with the alleged scheme.
A report originating with WSAV said the FBI assisted Chatham County police with the investigation. Local authorities have not announced federal charges against Love, and no separate public FBI announcement detailing its role in the case was located in the material reviewed. Police have also not publicly said whether investigators believe other people were involved or whether the accounts allegedly connected to Love were used in additional attempted transactions.
Police-based reports described the business involved only as a major national retailer and did not identify it by name. Separate reports have connected the incident to Walmart and its Spark delivery platform, but those retailer-specific details were not confirmed in the public police-based accounts reviewed. The distinction is significant because authorities have released only limited information about the alleged accounts and the system investigators believe was targeted.
Walmart’s Spark Driver platform connects independent contractors with shopping and delivery work, including orders picked up from stores for delivery to customers. Walmart’s published terms require drivers to provide accurate identifying information and say account holders may be required to show valid government-issued identification to store employees. The company also requires identity checks involving a driver’s license and selfie and says it may use facial-recognition technology to confirm that an account is being used by the vetted driver.
Walmart has publicly described additional efforts aimed at preventing account sharing and fraudulent use of Spark accounts. The company has said those measures include more frequent identity verification, multi-factor authentication, manual identification checks at some stores and tools aimed at detecting unauthorized account activity. Walmart’s published rules also prohibit drivers from using another person’s account, allowing another person to pose as them or entering false information into the platform.
Those safeguards provide context for the broader issue of delivery-account fraud but do not establish how the Chatham County incident occurred. Police have not released technical evidence showing how investigators determined AI was involved, and authorities have not identified a particular vulnerability that was exploited. They also have not publicly disclosed the value or type of merchandise Love allegedly attempted to obtain in the transaction described by the department.
The case remains under investigation. As of Sept. 12, Chatham County police had not announced additional arrests or charges, and no publicly reported plea or statement responding to the allegation from Love or an attorney representing him was located. Any broader connection to Walmart, Spark or additional fraudulent accounts remains subject to further confirmation as the investigation and court process continue.
Author note: Last updated September 12, 2026.