Warning about romance scams using AI tools.

Exploiting artificial intelligence (AI) technology, criminal gangs are now not only scamming through text messages but also using deepfakes to manipulate images, videos, and even voices to psychologically influence and lure victims into online romance scams.

Advanced AI technology was misused in the "fake Dubai prince" scam. Photo: AFP

Speaking to AFP, Maria said she lost all her savings over the past year because she trusted an account claiming to be Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed of Dubai on a dating website. After chatting via WhatsApp, this person repeatedly sent romantic messages and made numerous video calls to build trust.

Analyzing the recorded clips, technology experts said that the scammer's appearance was faked to look exactly like the real prince, his speech matched his lip movements, but his voice was not real.

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Faced with this sophisticated scheme and technology, the victim believed she was dating a charming prince and transferred the 1,625 USD he requested for a marriage certificate and a so-called royal membership card to help her find work in Dubai.

Maria became suspicious when the scammer arranged to meet her at a hotel and demanded an additional $974 for a room. Upon closer examination of his Facebook page (which has since been deleted), she noticed that the account was registered in Nigeria.

This is just one case in a series of scams where criminals use AI-enhanced images to impersonate members of Arab royalty, targeting victims' emotions and money. After "hunting for prey" on social media, the "princes" invite victims to chat via WhatsApp or Telegram.

The Global Anti-Fraud Alliance estimates that victims worldwide lost $442 billion last year. This situation is now widespread and has escalated into transnational organizations, leading to the creation of numerous social media groups to warn users. A petition on Change.org even calls on Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed's team to be more vigilant against royal impersonators.

Technically, it's unclear what AI tools were used to create live video chats like the one with Maria. But with the internet flooded with face-swapping technology and new motion control tools capable of creating incredibly realistic videos, experts warn that deepfake videos will become increasingly sophisticated, and it's quite possible that in the near future, we won't even be able to distinguish between real and fake conversations on screen.

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Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/canh-bao-chieu-tro-lua-dao-tinh-cam-bang-cong-cu-ai-a208739.html