Holiday Blues: Spotting AI Scams Library Program

 

Holiday Blues: Spotting AI Scams Library Program 

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere-from social media posts to online ads and videos. But how can you tell what’s real & what’s not? The Barbara Moscato Brown Library presents “Holiday Blues: Spotting AI Scams” on Monday, November 9, 2026, beginning at 5:30 PM. This program will help you navigate the barrage of AI-generated ads, photos, and videos being used to mislead buyers this holiday shopping season.

During the session, marketing expert Emily Wolfel will cover how everyday internet users can identify AI-generated written, photo, and video content. Participants will learn what to look for when evaluating online content and how to spot fraudulent advertisements, doctored photos, and AI-generated videos. “They will also leave with a foundational understanding of how AI works, how it's currently being used, and how it's evolving,” said Wolfel.

During the session, participants will review curated examples of AI-generated content and walk through several fraudulent products that use AI to mislead consumers.

Scott Foster from Northern Pennsylvania Regional College will follow up Wolfel’s presentation by offering participants an immersive experience through zSpace to test out what they learned in a sample shopping setting without spending any real money.

If time allows, Wolfel will also do a live demonstration using AI generation tools to show participants firsthand how this content is made.

Emily Wolfel is a marketing and communications professional who has been writing, designing, and building things on the internet for over 15 years. With a background spanning content writing, advertising, graphic design, video editing, and web development, she has spent her career doing by hand exactly what AI tools are now being used to automate.

Scott Foster is the NPRC’s zSpace program coordinator. zSpace is an interactive, three-dimensional, virtual reality program that allows users to become fully engaged in hands-on learning. Using a stylus tool, it allows users to manipulate; disassemble; and reassemble objects, investigate concepts, and conduct simulations. zSpace is centered around Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) and supports learning from early elementary through adult education.