Shanghai Man Loses $28,000 to AI ‘Girlfriend’ Scam

SHANGHAI: Chinese official media reported on Wednesday that a guy from Shanghai lost over $28,000 after being duped into a long-distance “relationship” with an AI-generated partner.

According to state station CCTV, scammers used generative artificial intelligence (AI) software to make videos and photos of a young woman who looked and acted like the fake “Ms. Jiao.”

Scammers used fake pictures to make the victim think that their “girlfriend” needed money to open a business and pay for a family member’s medical bills. The victim sent almost 200,000 yuan, which is about $28,000, to what he thought was his online lover’s bank account.

CCTV said that the con artists even made a fake ID and medical papers to back up their story.

An operation was carried out by a “scammer team sending video and photos that were all created through AI or made by combining multiple images,” according to CCTV, citing a police inquiry.

“Throughout the process, (the victim) Mr Liu never met Ms Jiao in person,” the report said.

Photos of a woman were shown on a surveillance camera in a variety of settings, including a city street and a paint pallet.

Scammers are getting smarter all the time due to AI systems that can make convincing text, pictures, and even live video.

Meta, the US-based social media giant, recently warned internet users to be cautious of online friends who pretend to offer romance but are actually scammers looking to steal money. The company also highlighted a rise in scams involving generative AI.