A man in Shanghai was swindled out of nearly $28,000 after being tricked into believing he was in a long-distance relationship with an AI-generated girlfriend.
According to Chinese state media reports on Wednesday, February 26, the scam involved the use of generative artificial intelligence software to create highly realistic video and images of a fictional woman, identified as “Ms. Jiao.”
The victim, identified only as Mr. Liu, transferred nearly 200,000 yuan (approximately $28,000) to what he believed was his online partner’s bank account. The scammers convinced him that his “girlfriend” needed financial support to start a business and cover a relative’s medical expenses. To make the deception more convincing, they provided fake identification documents and medical reports.
State broadcaster CCTV revealed that a coordinated group of scammers orchestrated the scheme, using AI to generate lifelike images and videos of the woman. Mr. Liu, who never met her in person, was shown AI-generated visuals of “Ms. Jiao” in various settings, such as holding a paint palette or standing on a city street—images either created through AI or manipulated from multiple sources.
This case underscores the growing danger of AI-powered scams, as advanced technology enables fraudsters to craft increasingly realistic fake identities. Earlier this month, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, issued a warning about the rising trend of online romance scams driven by generative AI, urging users to remain vigilant.
