AI Romance & Celebrity Deepfake Scams – A Holiday Reminder

As we enter the festive season, AJC would like to highlight an important emerging threat that has recently made headlines: romance scams involving AI-generated videos and deepfake celebrities.

A recent case saw a British widow lose a substantial amount of money after she believed she was communicating with a famous actor. AI-generated photos and personalised videos were used to build trust, create an emotional connection and eventually encourage her to invest in a “dream home abroad.”

This is not a one-off story. These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent.

Why This Matters Now

The holiday period brings:

• higher digital activity
• increased spending
• feelings of loneliness for some
• distractions and urgency

All of these create opportunities for fraudsters, who know this is a time when people are more open, generous, and emotionally available.

Scammers will actively exploit this.

How These Scams Operate

Modern scams are highly engineered and can feel extremely real:

1. Fake Identity

Fraudsters create:

• Social media accounts
• Dating profiles
• Messaging accounts
• AI-generated images or videos

These often impersonate celebrities, soldiers, business owners, or foreign professionals.

2. Emotional Grooming

The victim is contacted regularly and gradually made to feel special, chosen, and bonded.

The communication becomes:

• intense
• affectionate
• sometimes secretive

3. The “Ask”.

Once trust is established, money is requested for things like:

• emergencies
• travel
• investment opportunities
• “Shared future plans.”

This request will often come with urgency and secrecy.

Why AI Has Changed the Game

Fraudsters now use tools that can:

✔ clone voices
✔ generate video messages
✔ produce realistic photos
✔ mimic celebrities
✔ interact in real-time

These technologies are widely available, inexpensive, and easy to use.

This makes fraud harder to spot than ever before.

What To Look Out For

Please take care if anyone:

• declares love very quickly.
• asks to move conversations off the platform.
• refuses video calls or meetings.
• requests secrecy.
• asks for money, crypto, gift cards or bank transfers.
• creates emotional urgency.

If something feels off, pause.

Practical Safety Tips 

• Do not send money to someone you have never met in person.
• Verify identities independently, do not rely on links or screenshots.
• Speak to a trusted friend or colleague before making transfers.
• Be cautious of celebrity contact. Celebrities do not privately message fans.
• Avoid secrecy if you cannot tell someone about it; that’s a red flag.

A short conversation can prevent a life-changing loss.

For Teams & Organisations

Please consider:

• reminding colleagues during team briefings.
• discussing support with HR or safeguarding teams.
• keeping awareness high in December and January.

Holiday scams do not only target individuals; businesses are targeted too via:

• phishing
• fraudulent invoices
• bogus suppliers
• gift card scams.
• CEO impersonation.

Slowing down and verifying is key.

In Summary

🎄 The holidays are a time for connection, not exploitation.
🧠 Fraudsters are using AI to manipulate trust and emotion.
🔒 A few basic precautions can prevent devastating loss.

We encourage everyone to stay alert, share awareness, and support friends, colleagues and family members who may be vulnerable to this type of contact.

Contact us on 020 7101 4861 or email us at info@ajollyconsulting.co.uk if you have any concerns or think we can help.

Sources:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15336527/British-widow-conned-fake-Jason-Momoa-AI-videos-building-dream-home-Hawaii.html

Image accreditation: Pratik Gupta (May 2019) from Unpslash.com. Last accessed on 10th December 2025. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/white-android-smartphone-near-green-plant-CNOo9ZMBqRM