77-year-old retired lecturer loses £17,000 to romance scam involving AI-generated deepfake videos and fake bank account

Summary

A 77-year-old retired lecturer from Edinburgh was conned out of £17,000 in a romance scam involving AI-generated deepfake videos and fake documents. The victim, Nikki MacLeod, met a person named Alla Morgan in a Facebook chat group, believing her to be a woman working on a North Sea oil rig. Over time, Alla sent AI-generated videos and convincing documents, including a fake bank account, which led MacLeod to send money for a helicopter flight and later a house purchase for her daughter. The scam came to light when the fake bank account, named Terrafink Capital, was frozen and began requesting additional payments to unfreeze it. Police Scotland confirmed they are investigating the incident, which was reported on October 13, 2024. A member of the public has claimed to recognize the real Alla Morgan, who is confirmed to be a real person.