‘Please Stay 8 Seconds…’: The TikTok Scam That’s Exploiting Kindness, and How to Stay Safe

Imagine you’re scrolling TikTok when a touching video pops up: an elderly man, cats in the background, hands trembling as he pleads, “Please stay 8 seconds so I don’t have to shut down my cat shelter.” He’s selling handmade slippers to raise funds for the struggling sanctuary. You and thousands of commenters feel you can make a difference and help all those fur babies.

The sad truth: none of it is real.

Behind the sad story and kittens is a viral social media scam, and it’s not just making waves on TikTok: it’s appearing on Facebook reels, Instagram and YouTube too. The scammers use stolen videos and emotional manipulation to cash in on your empathy.

What’s Actually Going On?

These trending TikTok and Instagram videos are part of a rising scam wave targeting animal lovers and generous donors. Many use AI-generated elderly personas or stolen content from real users to create fake narratives around local businesses, shelters, or handmade products.

The goal? To trick you into sending money or buying merchandise that supports a completely fabricated cause.

Real Victims Speak Out

According to an investigation by The Guardian, a user scrolling through TikTok  was shocked to find a video of her 84-year-old father, George Tsaftarides, on the platform – not from his real account, which shares sewing tips and has over 40,000 followers, but on a fake page claiming he was running a cat sanctuary in danger of closing.

The scam video begged users to buy slippers to “support the shelter.” Thousands fell for it.

“These people are using my identity to make money and I don’t understand why,” Tsaftarides told The Guardian. “It’s thieving, it’s stealing, and it’s not right.”

Dozens of scam accounts have now used his face, along with clips from other users mashing them together with AI-generated footage to create heart-wrenching fake stories. The slippers? Cheap, mass-produced items shipped from overseas, if they arrive at all.

“Since she first discovered the proliferation and manipulation of her father’s face, Yelichek has identified more than 100 accounts splicing his videos with other, unrelated users to sell mass-produced goods including slippers, headphone cases and blankets – all under the guise of independent sellers that need help,” The Guardian explains. “Some two dozen Instagram accounts and YouTube as well as a handful were pulling the same trick, according to a list compiled by Yelichek and a review of the accounts by the Guardian.”

Another victim, Charles Ray, an 85-year-old Michigan retiree who joined TikTok to share daily jokes, found his videos similarly doctored to suggest he was crying or sick, all to manipulate people into sending money.

A BBB Scam Tracker report confirms this pattern: a TikTok account posted a series of emotional videos claiming to sell cat toys to support an animal shelter. However, the scam victim reported that no products were ever delivered, and the videos were exposed as AI-generated fakes.

How These Scams Work

This scam trend follows a now-familiar formula:

1. A sympathetic character, usually elderly, pleads for help to save a cat shelter, cow sanctuary, or small shop.
2. Stolen or AI-generated content is edited into a convincing emotional story.
3. Viewers are urged to buy a product or donate through a shady website.
4. Buyers receive or cheap goods, if anything at all. The charity? Fake. The money? Gone.

Some scammers even reply to victims who call them out, claiming to be “a poor teenager just trying to support their family.” Meanwhile, the manipulated videos rack up millions of views, likes and comments.

These scams succeed because they exploit:

• Emotional urgency (“Don’t scroll if you care about animals!”)
• Visual trust (elderly faces, cute pets, sad music)
• AI realism (deepfakes, synthetic voices, and stolen content)
• Platform virality, with comments encouraging users to mention celebrities to boost reach

Despite efforts to report the accounts, platforms like TikTok and Instagram have been slow to act. In some cases, they have even penalized the real creators whose identities were stolen.

How to Protect Yourself

Pause Before You Pay

Scammers count on emotional reactions. If a video urges you to “stay 8 seconds to help,” that’s a red flag. Real charities don’t manipulate you into giving.

 Investigate the Account

• Is the profile new or anonymous?
• Are the comments overly emotional or generic?
• Does the link lead to a verified charity site?

If it’s a shopping link, search the site name + “scam” to see what others are saying.

Check the Charity’s Legitimacy

Use:

• Give.org to verify charitable organizations
• BBB.org for company or donation page reviews
• Your state’s charity registry to confirm it’s legally registered

Support Verified Local Shelters

Instead of reacting to a viral post, visit your community’s local animal shelter website or social media for donation options you can trust.

Report Suspicious Content

• Flag impersonation or scam accounts on the social media platforms
• Provide links and screenshots to back up your claim
• Encourage others to report—it increases visibility

How Bitdefender Can Help

Bitdefender’s solutions are built to protect users from scams and misinformation, even the emotional ones that bypass your logical defenses:

• Bitdefender Scamio

Scamio is your smart scam detector. If you’re unsure about a donation link or viral video, just ask Scamio, our free AI-powered scam detector for a second opinion.

• Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection

Scammers are increasingly stealing photos, videos, and even entire personas to build trust online, and Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection can help you fight back.

This powerful tool monitors 25 social media platforms and instantly alerts you if it finds a profile that could be impersonating you. Whether your face, name, or content is being reused in scam videos or fake charity accounts, you'll be the first to know.

This allows you to take action fast, request takedowns, and regain control of your identity before it’s used to deceive others.

• Bitdefender Security for Creators

Designed for influencers, hobbyists, and content creators, this service keeps your accounts secure and your audience safe:

1. Hacking Prevention: Secures your logins across devices—whether you're posting from a phone, tablet, or laptop.
2. Account Monitoring: Currently focused on YouTube, with 24/7 surveillance to alert you of unauthorized activity.
3. Coming Soon: Instagram and Facebook protection! Soon, Bitdefender will expand its hacking prevention to these platforms making it easier to protect your growing creator presence.

Stay smart. Verify before you give. And if in doubt let Bitdefender help you spot the scam.