Romance scammer duped £17k from me with deepfakes

Nikki MacLeod, a 77-year-old retired lecturer from Edinburgh, recently shared her experience of being a victim of a sophisticated online romance scam. She believed she was in a genuine relationship with a woman named Alla Morgan, who claimed to be working on an oil rig in the North Sea. After losing her parents during the lockdown and ending a long-term relationship, Nikki felt lonely and turned to online chat groups to connect with others. Initially skeptical about Alla, Nikki was eventually convinced by the deepfake videos that were sent to her, which made her believe that Alla was a real person. Nikki sent gift cards and made bank and PayPal transfers, thinking she was helping someone she loved. She stated, 'I am not a stupid person, but she was able to convince me that she was a real person and we were going to spend our lives together. ' The scam began when Alla asked Nikki to purchase Steam gift cards, which are typically used for buying video games. She claimed that these cards were necessary for her to maintain an internet connection on the oil rig. Despite her doubts, Nikki ended up spending several hundred pounds on these cards. She repeatedly requested a live video call, but Alla either refused or the calls did not work. Instead, Nikki received recorded video messages that further convinced her of Alla's authenticity. 'I had started to think, are you a real person? ' Nikki recalled. 'Then she sent me a video to say 'Hi Nikki, I am not a scammer, I am on my oil rig', and I was totally convinced by it. ' The videos and images sent to Nikki were created using advanced AI technology, making it difficult for her to discern the truth. Nikki was eventually persuaded to send a total of £17,000 to the scammers, believing that Alla would come to visit her in Scotland. She was even contacted by someone claiming to be from Alla's HR department, who asked for money to pay for a helicopter ride. Unfortunately, Nikki's bank later informed her that she had fallen victim to fraud, and the police are currently investigating the case. Nikki's experience serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of online relationships and the increasing use of AI technology by scammers. She urges others to be vigilant and to question any unusual payment requests. 'These scammers don't have any empathy at all. It's their job and they are very good at it,' she said.