Chinese Man Scammed by AI-Generated Fake Girlfriend, Robbed of €26,000

A man in Shanghai has lost more than 26,000 euros after being lured into an online relationship with a fake girlfriend generated by artificial intelligence , Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

The scammers used generative AI software to create realistic videos and photos of an imaginary young woman, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The victim transferred nearly 200,000 yuan (around 26,250 euros) to what he thought was his girlfriend's bank account.

The criminals had used the fake videos and photos to convince him that she needed funds to start a business and help a relative pay medical bills.

They even created fake medical reports and a fictitious identity card to give credibility to their scheme.

The operation was carried out by a "team of scammers sending videos and photos created by AI or combining multiple images," CCTV said, citing a police investigation.

The victim "never met in person" his supposed girlfriend, the channel stressed.

A video released by CCTV shows photos of a woman in different situations, such as posing with a paint palette or on a city street.

The emergence of artificial intelligence tools capable of generating convincing images, videos and texts is giving rise to increasingly sophisticated scams all over the world.

Earlier this month, US social media giant Meta warned people to be wary of online acquaintances, noting that fraud using generative AI was on the rise.