A Shanghai man identified as Mr. Liu was defrauded of nearly $28,000 in an elaborate online romance scam involving an AI-generated persona in a recent incident reported by Chinese state media.
Scammers employed advanced generative artificial intelligence tools to create lifelike images and videos of a fictitious woman named “Ms. Jiao,” convincing Mr. Liu of a genuine long-distance relationship.
Over time, he transferred approximately 200,000 yuan (about $28,000) to support what he believed was his girlfriend’s business ventures and a relative’s medical expenses, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
It added, “Throughout the process, (the victim) Mr. Liu never met Ms. Jiao in person.”
To bolster the deception, the fraudsters fabricated identification documents and medical records.