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 crown prince ensnare victims by cultivating online relationships before swindling them. Researchers have traced some of the scams to crime syndicates in Nigeria.
Maria, who requested her real name and age be withheld, met the scammer impersonating Prince Hamdan, also known as Fazza, on a dating site. The conversation moved to a messaging app where he bombarded her with romantic messages.
“He kept on messaging me even when I was sleeping,” she said. “It felt like there was a love spell that connected our minds.”
In one recording of a WhatsApp video call, the scammer, appearing lifelike as the prince, flickered on the screen. His words matched his lip movements, but the voice was not the prince’s. “Hello beloved,” the voice told Maria. “I really appreciate your love and support.”
