DELTONA, Fla. – In a heartwarming turn of events, a family in Deltona joyfully reunited with their cherished dog, Archer, following a nerve-wracking few days during which he went missing. Their relief was compounded by the discovery that they had been the targets of a chilling scam involving artificial intelligence.

The saga began late on a Saturday night after Lytton Cosens and his family returned from an Orlando Solar Bears hockey game.

“When we walked through the door, our dogs usually greet us,” Cosens recounted. “But this time, only one of our three furry friends was there to welcome us.”

Realizing that their 11-year-old beagle mix, Archer, was nowhere to be found, the family quickly sprang into action, scouring the neighborhood for hours.

The following morning brought a phone call from an individual claiming to have located Archer. The caller alleged that the dog had been struck by a vehicle and was in urgent need of surgery.

“Our immediate reaction was, ‘Thank goodness, someone found him,’” Cosens recalled. “They insisted, ‘We need to perform emergency surgery. Do we have your permission?’ We were quick to agree, thinking it was in Archer’s best interest.”

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.