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Hong Kong law enforcement has arrested 31 members of a deepfake fraud ring, The Star reports .
The criminals lured victims under the guise of romantic relationships and investments. Their profits exceeded HK$34 million (~$4.37 million).
The Hong Kong Police Department's Commercial Crime Bureau reported that the syndicate rented two premises in adjacent industrial buildings to "carry out fraudulent activities that involved showing victims fake images of beautiful women from the Internet."
The group worked in double shifts, luring young people with promises of quick money for successful scams.
The scammers used AI technology to fake their identities and trick victims into “romantic relationships.” They were then asked to invest in a fictitious digital asset platform based overseas.
A classic dating app scam included an attractive persona, a flamboyant lifestyle, and photos from major crypto conferences.
Sometimes the criminals video-chatted with their victims, using neural networks to replace their faces.
During the raids, police seized cash, designer items, and luxury watches. Most of those arrested claimed to be unemployed, and some claimed to be students.
However, among them were five members of the crime syndicate, who were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud. They will appear in court on January 6, while the rest were released on bail.
In October 2024, Hong Kong authorities stopped a similar scheme . Now, law enforcement is looking for a connection between the two cases.
Recall that in September, CertiK warned about the expansion of AI and deepfake attacks beyond video and audio. They could be aimed at crypto wallets.
The criminals lured victims under the guise of romantic relationships and investments. Their profits exceeded HK$34 million (~$4.37 million).
The Hong Kong Police Department's Commercial Crime Bureau reported that the syndicate rented two premises in adjacent industrial buildings to "carry out fraudulent activities that involved showing victims fake images of beautiful women from the Internet."
The group worked in double shifts, luring young people with promises of quick money for successful scams.
| “New recruits were trained to use various dating apps to stalk targets, who were typically located in Taiwan or [Southeast] Asia such as Singapore and Malaysia,” law enforcement officials explained. |
A classic dating app scam included an attractive persona, a flamboyant lifestyle, and photos from major crypto conferences.
Sometimes the criminals video-chatted with their victims, using neural networks to replace their faces.
During the raids, police seized cash, designer items, and luxury watches. Most of those arrested claimed to be unemployed, and some claimed to be students.
However, among them were five members of the crime syndicate, who were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud. They will appear in court on January 6, while the rest were released on bail.
In October 2024, Hong Kong authorities stopped a similar scheme . Now, law enforcement is looking for a connection between the two cases.
Recall that in September, CertiK warned about the expansion of AI and deepfake attacks beyond video and audio. They could be aimed at crypto wallets.