Commenting on a livestream, a woman lost 265 million VND.
A Brazilian woman was scammed out of nearly 265 million VND after believing she was in love with singer James Blunt through deepfake videos and fake AI messages.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•20/05/2026
Based on a single comment under James Blunt's livestream, a 57-year-old woman in Brazil became the victim of a high-tech romance scam, losing over $10,000 after more than a year immersed in a virtual relationship created using AI and deepfake technology. According to international media reports, a woman living in the city of Sao Joao da Boa Vista fell into a state of loneliness and mental breakdown after the deaths of her mother and brother, and this emotional void made her the perfect target for online scammers.
After leaving a comment expressing her affection under the real James Blunt livestream, she was quickly contacted by a fake account, initiating a months-long romantic drama filled with sweet messages, words of comfort, and emotional conversations.
The dangerous aspect of this case lies in the fact that the scammer used deepfake technology to create a fake video of the famous singer with a face, gestures, and voice that were almost completely realistic, making the victim believe they were actually chatting with their idol in real life.
Not only did the perpetrator send fake videos, but they also continuously manipulated the victim's psychology by posing as a lonely celebrity, empathizing with her grief and loss, causing the woman to gradually become emotionally dependent and completely lose her vigilance against signs of financial fraud. After realizing the victim had placed complete trust in him, the imposter began fabricating various excuses related to music contracts, tours, and future plans to request money transfers, causing the woman to repeatedly send her personal savings in the hope of meeting her "lover" in real life. It was only when the other account suddenly cut off contact after receiving the full amount that the victim realized that all the videos, loving messages, and conversations over the past year were merely products created by AI to serve a sophisticated romance scam.
This incident serves as a strong warning about the risk of cybercriminals exploiting AI and deepfakes to target the elderly, lonely, or technologically illiterate. It also demonstrates that in the age of booming artificial intelligence, being vigilant about online relationships and absolutely refraining from transferring money to strangers is crucial for protecting both one's assets and mental well-being.
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