Woman loses $350,000 in deepfake romance scam impersonating Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae

A South Korean woman was scammed out of $350,000 after fraudsters used AI deepfakes of Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae

A South Korean woman has reportedly lost 500 million won (approximately $350,000 USD) after falling victim to a sophisticated AI-driven romance scam involving a deepfake impersonation of Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae.

The scammers used AI-generated images and videos of the internationally acclaimed actor to convince the woman—identified only as “A”—that she was in a romantic relationship with him. The scheme unfolded over six months, during which the woman was allegedly persuaded to transfer large sums of money to the fraudsters.

Korean media outlets revealed that the scammers also provided a fake driver’s license featuring Lee’s likeness and addressed the victim using affectionate nicknames like “honey” and “sweetie.” The elaborate setup made the deception appear authentic. Authorities from the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency are currently investigating the case, which is believed to involve a wider network potentially linked to a group operating from Cambodia.

Lee Jung-jae’s management agency later released a statement condemning the scam and clarifying that the actor had no connection to the individuals involved. “Neither the company nor any of our artists ever request money, bank transfers, or financial support under any circumstances,” the agency stated, as reported by the Korea Times. The agency further urged the public to exercise caution if approached with similar requests and confirmed that they are cooperating with law enforcement to pursue legal action.

This incident adds to a growing list of AI-enabled impersonation scams, where criminals use deepfake technology to exploit the likenesses of well-known celebrities. In recent years, similar cases have involved scammers pretending to be Stranger Things actor Dacre Montgomery and even John Wick star Keanu Reeves, deceiving victims into transferring money under false pretenses.

The rise of AI-generated media has sparked growing concern worldwide, as increasingly realistic digital