A fraudster in China used artificial intelligence technology to change his appearance and impersonate a businessman’s friend, extorting more than half a million euros from him, according to the authorities.
Victim Guo, who was given only his nickname, explains that in April he received a video call from someone who looked and sounded like a relative.
But the person he was talking to was actually a fraud, who “used artificial intelligence technology to modify his facial features,” according to an article published Monday by media affiliated with the Fuzhou authorities (east).
The scammer claimed that another friend was in desperate need of money. He succeeded in convincing Guo to transfer 4.3 million yuan (about 614.89 thousand dollars) from his company’s bank account.
The article quoted the businessman as saying: “During the video call, I was sure that I knew the face and voice of the person calling me, so I was reassured.” After Guo transferred the amount, he sent a message to his friend, whose identity was being impersonated.
The businessman realized the mistake he had made after his friend’s reaction, so he contacted the police, who ordered the bank to stop the transfer, and managed to recover 3.4 million yuan ($485.44 thousand), according to the article. The identity of those responsible for the fraud has not yet been established.
