Man Loses $28,000 to AI-Generated ‘Girlfriend’
A Shanghai resident was scammed out of nearly $28,000 after falling for a long-distance “relationship” with an AI-generated girlfriend, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, scammers used generative artificial intelligence to create realistic images and videos of a young woman, posing as a fictional character named “Ms. Jiao.”
Believing the deception, the victim transferred approximately 200,000 yuan ($28,000) to what he thought was his online partner’s bank account. The scammers convinced him that she needed financial assistance to start a business and cover a relative’s medical expenses.
To make the scheme more convincing, they even forged an ID card and medical reports, CCTV reported.
Investigators revealed that the fraudsters operated as a team, using AI-generated videos and images or a combination of multiple photos to construct a believable persona.
“Throughout the process, Mr. Liu never met Ms. Jiao in person,” the report stated.
A CCTV broadcast displayed images of a woman in various settings, such as holding a paint palette and standing on a city street, all created using AI.
The rise of advanced AI tools capable of generating lifelike text, images, and videos has led to increasingly sophisticated scams worldwide.
Earlier this month, social media giant Meta warned users to be cautious of online relationships that involve requests for money, highlighting the growing use of AI in fraudulent activities.
