Woman sells her home and loses $81,000 to scammer using AI deepfakes of General Hospital actor Steve Burton

Summary

Abigail Ruvalcaba, 66, of Harbor City, California, lost her $350,000 condo and over $81,000 in a deepfake romance scam that used AI-generated videos impersonating General Hospital actor Steve Burton. Beginning in October 2024, a scammer contacted Ruvalcaba via Facebook Messenger using convincing deepfake videos and voice clones of Burton, claiming he had lost homes in the L.A. wildfires and needed financial help. Ruvalcaba believed she was in a romantic relationship with the actor. She sent $81,304 in Bitcoin, cash, and gift cards and sold her condo well below market value to generate funds. Her daughter discovered the scam in February 2025. Ruvalcaba filed for bankruptcy and faces eviction. Steve Burton issued a public warning about the scam after the incident was reported.