Shanghai man loses $28,000 to AI-generated romance scam involving fake girlfriend and manipulated videos

Summary

A man in Shanghai lost about $28,000 after falling victim to a romance scam involving an AI-generated fake girlfriend. Scammers used a generative AI program to create realistic videos and photos of a fictional woman known as "Mrs. Jiao." The victim, identified only as Liu, sent nearly 200,000 yuan to what he believed was his girlfriend’s online bank account after being convinced she needed money for business and medical expenses. The scammers created fake identities and medical reports to support their deception. The scam involved a team that sent AI-generated or manipulated photos and videos to maintain the illusion. CCTV reported the incident following a police investigation.