Individual romance scam victim deepfake video — Sep 2026
A romance scam victim recounts how a perpetrator used a deceptive video call and emotional manipulation to impersonate a romantic partner online
- Reported date
- Sep 24, 2026
- Target
- Individual romance scam victim
The exact incident date was not established. This entry is dated by its source report.
What happened
A victim seeking to learn a new language through the app HelloTalk was targeted by a romance scammer who identified himself as "Pete." The perpetrator initiated contact, eventually moving the conversation to the messaging app KakaoTalk. Over the course of a month, the scammer engaged in love bombing and established a romantic connection through regular voice calls and messaging. When the victim questioned the authenticity of a photo sent by the scammer, he responded with confrontation, leading the victim to rationalize the discrepancy to avoid conflict.
To further solidify the deception, the scammer participated in a video call with the victim. The victim noted that the call appeared to be the person they had been speaking with, though the connection was "janky." The scammer utilized a backstory involving ownership of an oil rig and engineering company, while explaining away inconsistencies in his background—such as a Korean accent despite claiming to have lived in the U.S. since childhood—to maintain the victim's trust. The victim eventually discovered the deception, realizing the entire relationship was a fabricated romance scam designed to exploit their emotional vulnerability.