Trucker teaches AI a new trick

Deep learning took on a new meaning when self-confessed scammer and truck operator Mike Chaves taught Amazon a new trick to look out for in the never-ending list of sly human tricks. 

FEW people are aware that e-commerce giant Amazon is also rated a world leader in developing artificial intelligence (AI), with some pundits even placing Amazon ahead of Alphabet, Google’s parent company.

AI has come a long way from using brute computing force to win chess matches, having now comprehensively beaten all comers in the intuitive game of Go.

But a fleet operator recently taught AI that dishonest humans still can find a loophole in any system. This after federal prosecutors charged Michael Chaves (40) of East Providence, Rhode Island, with
wire and mail fraud after he allegedly orchestrated an elaborate scheme to defraud Amazon out of over R11 million) using a new version of the old scam to rent a car and change its new parts for old parts from a similar car.

Chaves, a former owner of auto transport company CAT Transportation Inc. was arrested on June 17 and is currently held in federal custody. Court documents allege that since March 2017, Chaves opened approximately 30 Amazon customer accounts using different e-mail addresses. Over a three-year period, prosecutors claim he placed some 10 800 orders for truck and vehicle parts, changing the new parts for used ones sending these back to Amazon for refund of more than $640,000.

In some cases, he would replace original items with those of similar weight, including a commercial truck tire. Instead of returning the tire, he sent back two pieces of wood in the Amazon box.

Other examples include ordering a vehicle suspension ball joint and returning an oil filter wrench and a stabilizer bar link kit with dog treats, according to court documents.

Chaves also ordered new parts, like ceramic brake pads and a fuel injector, and returned the heavily used parts instead, according to court documents.

The former fleet operator is no stanger to devious thinking, having previously pleading guilty to falsifying federal U.S. Department of Transportation records, fraudulently obtaining more loans using five different company names, and illegally operating using someone else’s identity.