HONG KONG, China — Hong Kong police have dismantled a sophisticated romance scam ring that used deepfake artificial intelligence technology to deceive victims across Asia, swindling more than $46 million.
In a news conference Monday, October 14, 2024, authorities announced the arrest of 27 individuals, including 21 men and six women, on charges related to conspiracy to defraud.
The alleged scam targeted men from Taiwan, Singapore, India, and other parts of Asia, luring them into online relationships with what appeared to be attractive women.
However, these video calls and interactions were sophisticated deepfakes — realistic digital forgeries created using AI.
The scam ring operated out of a 4,000-square-foot industrial unit in the Hung Hom district of Hong Kong.
Police revealed that the suspects, aged 21 to 34, were mostly educated professionals, many of whom were graduates of local universities with expertise in digital media and technology.
Some were allegedly recruited after attending university and worked with IT specialists overseas to construct a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform, where victims were coerced into making investments.
The Rise of Deepfake Scams
Deepfake technology, which generates convincing fake videos and audio using AI, has become a favored tool for online scammers and disinformation campaigns.
In this case, the deepfakes were used to perpetuate what is known as a “pig-butchering” scam — where victims are “fattened up” through prolonged emotional manipulation before being scammed out of their money.
The Hong Kong-based gang meticulously groomed their victims, building trust and romantic connections over months before pushing them to invest in a bogus cryptocurrency platform.
Victims believed they were contributing to their future with the deepfake personas they thought they had fallen in love with.
This scam is part of a growing global trend, typically orchestrated by Chinese criminal organisations based in Southeast Asia.
Though telephone scams targeting the elderly have been a longstanding issue in Hong Kong, this new wave of AI-enabled fraud has raised alarm among authorities due to its increasing sophistication.
Highly Organized Operation
Police described the group as highly organised, with separate departments assigned to different stages of the scam.
The group even used a detailed training manual to teach its members how to emotionally manipulate their victims.
Key tactics included creating “tailor-made” personas for each victim, inventing stories of failed relationships or financial troubles, and ultimately painting a “beautiful vision” of a future together to push victims into making financial investments.
“The manual taught members how to take advantage of the victim’s sincerity and emotions,” police said, revealing parts of the manual on their Facebook page.
The scam ran for about a year, and authorities were tipped off in August.
In their raid, police recovered over 100 cell phones, $26,000 in cash, and several luxury watches.
The arrests mark one of the largest fraud busts in the region related to deepfake technology.
A Growing Concern
This case comes amid heightened concerns about the use of deepfake technology in criminal activities.
Earlier this year, a British multinational company in Hong Kong lost $25 million after being tricked by deepfake videos of employees, including the company’s chief financial officer.
As criminals continue to adopt advanced technologies to defraud unsuspecting victims, Hong Kong authorities remain on high alert, urging the public to exercise caution in online interactions.
The police continue to warn of the dangers of “pig-butchering” scams and the increasing use of AI to make fraudulent activities more convincing.
This crackdown demonstrates the evolving nature of cybercrime and the need for increased vigilance and awareness as deepfake technology becomes more prevalent in online scams.
