South Korean Woman Scammed $350K in AI Deepfake Impersonation of Squid Game Star

A South Korean woman was defrauded of approximately $350,000 by scammers impersonating Lee Jung-jae, the star of Netflix's Squid Game, using AI-generated deepfake images and videos to make the deception credible. The scammers sent fake IDs and employed affectionate language over six months to build trust, convincing her she was in a romantic relationship with the actor and even promising an in-person meeting that never occurred. The scam included requests for money framed as opportunities to meet the star, with the victim wiring funds totaling around 500 million won. Lee Jung-jae's agency, Artist Company, has firmly denied any involvement and warned fans against sending money or financial support to anyone claiming to be the actor. South Korean authorities, including the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency, are investigating the case, which may be linked to an overseas criminal syndicate. This incident highlights the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud and deepfake technology being used in romance scams targeting unsuspecting victims.