A person in Northern Ireland has lost £250,000 due to an AI-generated scam involving a fake investment opportunity. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) reported that the victim encountered a video featuring a well-known financial personality promoting the investment.
The PSNI emphasized that celebrity endorsements don’t guarantee investment legitimacy. While the specific celebrity was not named, scams have been reported using figures like Martin Lewis and Peter Jones.
After starting with a small investment, the victim was contacted via WhatsApp, leading to further payments. Scammers convinced the victim to create multiple online accounts and even gained remote access to their computer under the guise of helping with the investment.
The PSNI described the scam as “sophisticated,” with fraudsters gradually earning the victim’s trust and encouraging them to take loans for further investments. The use of AI technology made the scams more convincing, with fabricated videos and endorsements.
Superintendent Joanne Gibson from the Scamwise Partnership urged caution, advising families to discuss fraud awareness. The police highlighted the importance of independently verifying financial offers and ensuring that financial service providers are authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority.
