A man in Shanghai was defrauded of nearly $28,000 after becoming involved in a long-distance “relationship” with an AI-generated girlfriend, according to a report by Chinese state media on Wednesday.
Using generative AI software, scammers created lifelike images and videos of a young woman to pose as the fictitious “Ms. Jiao,” as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
The victim, believing he was in a real relationship, transferred almost 200,000 yuan (approximately $28,000) to what he thought was his online girlfriend’s bank account. The scammers convinced him that she needed the funds to open a business and to assist a family member with medical expenses.
To support the scam, they even produced fake identification and medical reports. CCTV further revealed that the entire operation was run by a “scammer team” who used AI to generate videos and photos, combining multiple images for the deception.
Throughout the ordeal, the victim, identified as Mr. Liu, never met “Ms. Jiao” in person. CCTV also showed images of the woman in various settings, such as holding a paint palette and standing on a city street.
The rise of AI tools capable of creating convincing text, images, and videos has led to more sophisticated scams globally. Earlier this month, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, cautioned internet users to be wary of online acquaintances seeking romance but asking for money, as scams involving generative AI are becoming more common.
