A criminal network posing as South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae has defrauded a woman of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a romance scam that leveraged generative AI.
Police say the scammers used manipulated images of the Squid Game star along with a fake driver’s license to deceive a woman in her 50s, leading to losses of around 500 million won, or roughly $370,000, reports The Korea Times.
The romance scam is now under investigation, with authorities probing possible links to a wider criminal operation based in Cambodia.
In a public statement, Lee’s agency, Artist Company, condemns the impersonation and urges the public to remain vigilant.
“A recent crime has occurred in which individuals impersonated our artist to demand money and obtain financial gain. We make it clear that neither the company nor any of our artists ever request money, bank transfers or financial support under any circumstances.”
The firm says it is coordinating with the police with plans to pursue legal action against those responsible.
“If you are contacted with such requests, please do not respond and take extra caution to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. We are currently cooperating with authorities to verify the facts and will take firm action to protect the safety of our artist and fans.”
In August, reports emerged that a South Los Angeles woman sold her condo and lost $81,304 after scammers used artificial intelligence to impersonate actor Steve Burton.
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at CapitalAI Daily are not investment advice. Investors should do their own due diligence before making any decisions involving securities, cryptocurrencies, or digital assets. Your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. CapitalAI Daily does not recommend the buying or selling of any assets, nor is CapitalAI Daily an investment advisor. See our Editorial Standards and Terms of Use.