In Hong Kong, a crime ring was busted for defrauding victims of $46 million through a sophisticated deepfake scam. The perpetrators used AI technology to create fake personas for online dating, altering their appearance and voices. Initially using AI-generated photos to contact victims, they switched to real-time deepfakes during video calls to gain trust
By presenting fake investment records, they convinced victims of lucrative returns before the fraud was discovered. The police arrested 27 individuals, seizing funds, luxury items, and apprehending those associated with a notorious crime gang. This incident highlights the increasing technological sophistication of cybercriminals, as noted in a recent UN report warning about the rise of deepfake technology in cyber fraud across Asia. https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/hong-kong-crime-ring-swindles-victims-out-of-46m