Fake Dubai prince scam: how AI deepfakes love-bomb victims to steal hearts and money

AI Summary

Fraudsters are using AI deepfake technology to impersonate a Dubai prince and scam victims through online romance schemes. The scam exploits emotional manipulation with AI-generated live video calls, tracing some activity back to organized crime syndicates.

Maria believed she was romancing a prince from Dubai, captivated by his flirtatious smile and declarations of affection he showered on her during live video calls. But the suitor was an AI deepfake, making her yet another victim of an online romance scam. The case illustrates how fraudsters posing as the real-life crown prince of Dubai ensnare victims by cultivating online relationships before swindling them out of money, with researchers tracing some of the scams to crime syndicates in...