Free quiz: 10 questions
Could you spotthese viral AI fakes?
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes. Real cases from the last month, with sources.
Your score is worked out in your browser. The quiz uses words and links, not copyrighted pictures, and shows no real person.
Test yourself on this month’s AI fakes
Pick an answer. You will see whether you were right, why, and where to read the original coverage.
Ten questions about real, reported cases from the last month. Your score is worked out in your browser and is not tied to your name.
How much do you know about this month’s AI fakes?
These questions are about cases that were widely shared or reported between 13 October and 12 November 2026. Each answer comes with a link to the original coverage. No copyrighted pictures are used, and no real person is shown.
What is the pattern?
In almost every case, people were fooled by context, not just by pixels: a believable caption, a familiar voice, a name they trust. Eyes and ears alone are a weak test, and AI detectors give a probability, not proof. Spotify itself says AI detection “has limitations.”
A TimeBind is a different kind of evidence. It shows that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and that a copy you hold still matches it. It cannot tell you whether AI made a file, and it does not show who made it or that its contents are true.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5.
Next: the Real or AI? photo quiz (10 rounds) · Scam voice red-flags checker
What is the pattern behind viral AI fakes? The short answer
Most were believable because of context, not pixels: a trusted brand, a plausible caption, a familiar voice or an urgent request. Our researched cases from 13 October to 12 November 2026 include AI menu photos, fake songs on real artists’ pages, AI-enhanced product photos and voice and video impersonation fraud.
Eyes and ears can’t reliably tell, and even Spotify says AI detection has limitations. A fingerprint recorded when a file was made shows which file is the original and that it is unchanged.
The cases behind the questions
These are the stories the quiz is built on. We link to the original coverage rather than copying it. Charges mentioned are allegations.
| Case | What was reported | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Just Eat AI menu photos (Oct 2026) | A delivery app’s AI-made menu images showed odd results, such as a jacket covered in potatoes for “jacket potato”. Just Eat apologised and paused the rollout. | BBC, Metro, TheJournal.ie |
| Real spaghetti photo doubted (22 Oct) | A real phone photo of leftover spaghetti kept its shape and people said it looked like AI. 172,894 likes on 12 Nov 2026. | Post on X |
| Fake singles on real artists’ pages (Oct 2026) | AI-made tracks inserted on real artists’ streaming profiles through a distributor loophole, including a single on Gemma Hayes’ pages, who says she did not make it. | Engadget, AI Music-preneur |
| Spotify on slop, spam and AI detection (20 Oct) | More than 50 million slop and spam tracks taken out of recommendations in 2026; Spotify says AI detection has limitations. | Spotify Newsroom |
| AI-enhanced product photos (Nov 2026) | Auros.ai survey: only 20% correctly identified a real, AI-enhanced coffee mug photo; 42% of Australians felt misled by AI-advertised products. | RetailBiz |
| Spot-the-AI-ad study (Sept 2026) | Only 17% of 500+ consumers picked the AI ad from ten, though half felt confident. | Mashable Middle East |
| AI impersonation of executives and lawyers (5 Nov) | US prosecutors allege a scheme using AI to mimic voices and images stole more than $129 million. Allegations only; extradition pending. | US DOJ, AP, NBC News |
Five habits that beat most AI fakes
- Check the source, not the pixels. Who posted it first? Is there an original?
- Slow down when you are rushed. Urgency is the scammer’s main tool.
- Call back on a number you already have. Not one the caller gave you.
- Agree a family safe word. Try the scam voice red-flags checker.
- Keep and date your own originals. A TimeBind shows an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. The file stays on your device, and your first Pooled TimeBind is free.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
What a TimeBind shows, and what it does not. It shows that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and that a copy shown later still matches its fingerprint. It does not show who made the file, who owns it, that its contents are true, or whether AI was used to make or edit it. This is general information, not legal advice.
If you want a visual practice test on companion animals, the free Real or AI? pets quiz is six rounds of real and generated cat and dog photographs. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practice on paintings than on news cases, the free Real or AI? art quiz is six rounds of real and generated still lifes and landscapes. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practice on night-sky photographs than on news cases, the free Real or AI? night-sky quiz is six rounds of real and generated stills, including one official NASA moon photograph credited as official. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practice on faces, the free Is this person real? quiz is five rounds of real and generated portraits. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practice on odd animals, the free Strange animals: real or AI? quiz is six rounds of real animals against invented AI creatures. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practise on nature photographs, the free Mushrooms: real or AI? quiz is six rounds of real photographs against invented AI mushrooms. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practise on food photographs, the free Real cake or AI? quiz is four rounds of real photographs against AI images. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practise on buildings, the free Treehouses: real or AI? quiz is four rounds of real photographs against AI images. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
If you would rather practise on holiday photos, the free Swimming pools: real or AI? quiz is six rounds of real photographs against AI images. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
AI “glass” clips are one of the best-known AI formats. If you would rather practise on still photos of real glass, the free Blown glass and glass ornaments: real or AI? quiz is six rounds. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
Fake eruption clips are a common kind of viral fake. The free Volcanoes and lava: real or AI? quiz is six rounds of real photographs against AI images. It cannot tell you whether a file you hold is AI-made.
Viral AI fakes quiz: FAQ
What is this quiz about?
Ten questions about AI fakes and AI-related scams that were widely shared or reported between 13 October and 12 November 2026: AI menu photos, a real photo mistaken for AI, fake songs on real artists’ pages, AI product photos, and voice and video impersonation fraud. Each answer links to the original coverage.
Are the cases real?
Yes. Every question is based on a named news report, an official statement or a public post, linked under the answer. Where a case involves criminal charges, the charges are allegations, not findings of guilt.
Does the quiz show any real people or copyrighted pictures?
No. It describes cases in words and links to the original coverage. It does not reproduce news photos or screenshots, and it shows no real person’s face.
Why do people fall for AI fakes?
In most of these cases the trick was context rather than pixels: a believable caption, a trusted brand, a familiar voice or an urgent request. Detecting the picture is rarely the only defence. Checking the source and the original, and calling back on a number you already have, usually works better.
Can TimeBinder tell me if something is an AI fake?
No. TimeBinder does not tell you whether a file was made or edited with AI, and a TimeBind does not show who made a file or that it is true. It shows that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and that a copy still matches. Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, then from US$5.
Do you keep my answers?
Your score is worked out in your browser. This page sends anonymous events to our analytics, such as the quiz being finished with a score band, never your name or email.
Related guides and tools
- Creator timestamping hubGuides for musicians, designers, writers and artists
- Spot AI fakes in 5 short lessonsA free mini-course on image labels, reverse search, voice-clone scams, unreliable video tells, and dated originals. No checker can reliably identify synthetic media.
- Verify a viral video in 5 stepsA free mini-course: claim, earliest upload, context, labels and reports, and a dated record. No checker can reliably identify synthetic media.
- Photos and video timestampingGuides for photographers and video makers
- Real or AI? Photo quizTen side-by-side photo pairs
- Scam voice red-flags checkerTick what is true about a call and get next steps
- Protect yourself from AI forgeries and deepfakesPlain-English guide for the public
- How lawyers can prevent AI forgeries and backdatingGuide for lawyers
- Was this file changed? File comparison checkerCheck whether two files are identical
- How to prove a photo or video isn’t AI-editedThe honest limits of a timestamp
- Guides hubProtecting files, evidence and records against AI fraud
- All free toolsEvery free TimeBinder tool
Date your own originals
Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.
- Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
- Add your files. They stay on your computer.
- Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.