A man in China was deceived out of nearly £22,000 in an elaborate AI-powered dating scam, as reported by state media.
Identified only by his surname, Liu, the victim believed he was in a relationship with a woman named Ms. Jiao, who regularly sent him personalized messages, photos, and videos. However, Liu was unaware that Ms. Jiao was an AI-generated persona created by scammers.
Read more: Groom Tricked in Marriage Scam as Bride Flees with Valuables
The fraudsters tricked Liu into transferring 200,000 yuan (approximately £21,722) under the pretense that the money was needed for medical expenses and business investments. Police investigations later revealed that the perpetrators used AI technology to produce realistic photos, videos, and even fake medical documents to convince Liu of Ms. Jiao’s financial struggles. Liu never met her in person.
AI-driven scams, particularly those exploiting romantic relationships, have become a growing global concern. Criminals are increasingly using advanced AI to create lifelike digital personas to manipulate victims for financial gain.
This case is part of a broader trend of AI romance scams affecting people worldwide. In a similar incident, a 53-year-old French woman was conned out of £661,508 in January after being deceived into believing she was in a relationship with Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. The scammers used AI-generated messages and videos to gain her trust, leading her to divorce her husband and suffer significant financial losses.
Likewise, in November of the previous year, a British woman in her 60s was scammed out of £19,752 by a fraudster posing as a US army colonel named “Mike Murdy” on Tinder. AI-generated images and videos helped the scammer establish credibility and persuade her to send money.
AI-powered deception is not limited to romance scams. In 2023, an Arizona mother reported that criminals used AI to mimic her daughter’s voice in a failed attempt to extort $1 million (£790,086) from her.
