Hong Kong police dismantle gang that swindled $46 million in deepfake-fueled romance scams

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - Hong Kong police have arrested 27 people involved in a $46 million romance scam that used deepfake technology to deceive men across several countries, police said Wednesday.

The group, which included college graduates and suspected triad members, targeted victims in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Singapore, and India, according to Indian media outlet The First Post. Operating from Hong Kong's Hung Hom district since October 2023, the gang hired at least 21 men and six women, many of whom were educated in digital media and technology.

Fang Chi-kin, a senior police official in the New Territories South regional crime unit, said the recruits played a key role in establishing the “romance scam.”

The suspects used deepfake technology to alter their faces in video calls, replacing their own appearances with images of attractive women.

The scammers typically initiated contact with their victims by pretending to have sent a message to the wrong number. After the initial contact, they would build a relationship through social media, sending AI-generated photos of attractive individuals with impressive personalities, occupations, and educational backgrounds.

“Despite engaging in video calls, the victims continued to believe they were building a romantic relationship with supposedly superior women,” Fang explained. Eventually, the victims, mostly men, were convinced to invest in a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform.

The scammers showed fabricated profit records to the victims, promising substantial returns to lure them further into the scheme.

The operation ran for about a year before authorities began investigating in August. During a recent raid, police recovered over 100 cell phones, $26,000 in cash, and several luxury watches. The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are expected.

A University of Texas study found that globally, romance scams have cost victims $75 billion from January 2020 to February 2024.