AI-generated 'fake' girlfriend scams Chinese man of $28,000

A man in Shanghai lost about $28,000 after falling victim to a romance scam in which he was persuaded to meet a supposed lover who turned out to be developed by artificial intelligence, according to what Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

The state-run CCTV channel reported that scammers used a generative artificial intelligence program to create realistic videos and photos of a young woman in order to impersonate a fictional persona they called "Mrs. Jiao."

The victim transferred nearly 200,000 yuan (about $28,000) to what he believed was his supposed lover's online bank account, after the scammers used fake photos to convince him that his imaginary girlfriend needed money to open a business and help a relative pay medical bills.

The scammers even created a fake identity and medical reports to convince the victim.

The operation was carried out by “a team of scammers sending videos and photos that were all created using artificial intelligence or by combining multiple photos,” the state-run broadcaster said, citing a police investigation.

The victim, identified only as Liu, had never met his fictitious lover, it said.

A video posted by CCTV showed images of the woman in various scenarios, including one showing her standing next to a painting or on a city street.

The emergence of AI tools capable of generating convincing text, images and videos has led to increasingly sophisticated scams around the world.

Earlier this month, US social media giant Meta warned internet users to be vigilant about the rise of online romance scams.