Ms AI image incident — Oct 2026

A woman in her 30s, identified as Ms. A, lost 35 million won after being targeted by a sophisticated impersonation scam that utilized AI-generated imagery. The victim engaged in a digital relationship for eight months with an individual she believed to be a famous actor before being coerced into sending money under false pretenses.

What happened

The perpetrator initiated contact via a messenger chat, using AI-generated photos that appeared to be authentic snapshots of a famous actor to establish credibility. Over the course of eight months, the scammer maintained a romantic facade, building trust with Ms. A through consistent communication. The deception culminated when the impersonator claimed that a gift sent from abroad was being held at customs and required payment to be released.

Ms. A transferred a total of 35 million won across multiple transactions, including individual payments of 3 million, 5 million, 2 million, and 4.8 million won. She only realized she had been defrauded after the funds were already gone, and she was unable to recover any of the money. This incident highlights the growing prevalence of personalized AI-driven attacks, which experts note are becoming increasingly difficult to detect through individual caution alone. While police have begun deploying specialized analysts to address the rise in AI-manipulated crimes, there remains a significant lack of comprehensive statistics for non-sexual deepfake fraud, leaving victims with limited recourse.