A growing number of online romance scams are using artificial intelligence (AI) to impersonate well-known public figures, with one recent case involving fraudsters posing as Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, widely known by his pen name Fazza.
According to investigators, scammers use AI-generated videos, fake social media profiles, and emotional manipulation to build trust with victims before persuading them to send money.
Victim Believed She Was Speaking to a Prince
One victim, identified only as Maria to protect her privacy, told AFP that she believed she had developed a genuine romantic relationship with someone claiming to be the Dubai royal.
The Filipino domestic worker said she first met the individual on a dating platform before their conversations moved to WhatsApp, where he frequently sent affectionate messages and initiated live video calls.
Maria said the conversations felt authentic and that the person appeared convincing enough for her to trust him.
AI Deepfake Helped Maintain the Illusion
During video calls reviewed by AFP, the individual appeared to resemble the Dubai crown prince, with facial expressions and lip movements closely matching the spoken words.
However, investigators noted that the voice did not match the prince’s known voice, suggesting the use of AI-generated deepfake technology capable of producing realistic real-time video manipulation.
Experts say advances in generative AI are making such impersonation scams increasingly difficult to detect.
Victim Lost a Year’s Savings
According to Maria, the scammer persuaded her to send 100,000 Philippine pesos (about US$1,625) for what he claimed were a marriage certificate and a “royal membership card,” promising they would help her secure employment in Dubai.
Her suspicions arose when he later requested an additional 60,000 pesos (about US$974) to book a hotel for a supposed meeting.
After examining the social media account more closely, she discovered indications that it was being operated from Nigeria rather than the United Arab Emirates. She immediately ended all communication.
Although she lost a year’s worth of savings, Maria said she was relieved she realized the deception before travelling to meet the scammer.
Fake “Dubai Prince” Scams on the Rise
Researchers say Maria’s experience is part of a wider pattern of scams in which criminals exploit Sheikh Hamdan’s global popularity and extensive online presence.
With more than 17 million Instagram followers, the royal has become a frequent target for impersonation. Fraudsters often copy his photographs, poems, and public posts to make fake profiles appear more credible.
ChatGPT Introduces Real-Time Response Adjustment Feature
AFP identified multiple Facebook groups falsely claiming to represent the prince, with some encouraging users to continue conversations through WhatsApp or Telegram.
Many of these accounts featured AI-generated or manipulated images showing the prince proposing marriage or sending romantic messages in an apparent effort to attract victims.
Awareness Campaigns Growing
As reports of the scam have increased, online awareness campaigns have emerged to warn potential victims.
One Instagram account, titled “Do not fall for fake prince,” shares examples of fraudulent profiles, while a petition on Change.org has called for greater public awareness about scammers impersonating Sheikh Hamdan.
The petition states that victims are often asked to transfer money to overseas bank accounts or through cryptocurrency, making transactions more difficult for authorities to trace.
Dubai authorities did not comment on the case when contacted by AFP.
AI Makes Fraud More Convincing
Cybersecurity experts warn that AI-powered face-swapping and motion-generation technology is advancing rapidly, allowing fraudsters to create increasingly realistic live video interactions.
David Rand, a professor at Cornell University, told AFP that real-time deepfake technology is improving quickly and may soon become so convincing that distinguishing genuine video conversations from manipulated ones will be extremely difficult.
Global Cost of Online Scams
Romance scams are part of a much broader online fraud problem.
According to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, consumers worldwide lost an estimated US$442 billion to various forms of scams last year, including romance fraud.
Security experts advise people to be cautious when communicating with individuals they have only met online, especially if conversations quickly become romantic or involve requests for money, gifts, personal information, or financial assistance. They also recommend verifying identities through multiple independent sources before trusting anyone claiming to be a public figure.
