Patras resident defrauded by scammer impersonating Cristiano Ronaldo using AI

A woman in Patras, Greece, recently fell victim to a sophisticated online scam after being convinced she was communicating with professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. The perpetrator used artificial intelligence and deepfake video technology to impersonate the athlete, gaining the victim's trust during a video call where the scammer appeared in a luxury car.

According to reports published in the local newspaper 'I Gnomi' on September 2, 2026, the scammer promised the victim that Ronaldo was distributing charitable funds. To receive the supposed financial aid, the victim was instructed to send two separate payments of 50 euros each via the IRIS electronic payment system, with the false promise that the money would be returned multiplied. After the victim transferred the total of 100 euros, the communication ceased, confirming the incident was a fraudulent operation.

This case highlights the increasing prevalence of high-tech social engineering scams on social media platforms like TikTok. Security experts warn that criminals are increasingly leveraging AI to manipulate victims into sending money under the guise of fake charitable initiatives or celebrity endorsements.