Woman in Patras falls victim to AI-driven scam impersonating Cristiano Ronaldo

A woman in Patras, Greece, was defrauded of 100 euros after being targeted by a sophisticated online scam. The perpetrator contacted the victim, identified as Nikolitsa, via an online platform, posing as Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo. To gain her trust, the fraudster used artificial intelligence to generate a convincing video call in which he appeared to be sitting in a luxury car, claiming to be soliciting donations for his global charity work.

According to reports from the local newspaper 'I Gnomi', the scammer instructed the victim to send two payments of 50 euros each using the IRIS payment service. He promised that these funds would be returned to her as a multiplied amount as part of a charitable gesture. The victim, convinced by the AI-generated imagery, processed the transfers. The incident highlights the growing prevalence of cybercrimes utilizing advanced deepfake and AI technology to exploit individuals through impersonation.

While this specific case ended with the theft of 100 euros, it serves as a warning regarding the increasing sophistication of online scams. The victim publicly shared her experience to caution others about the dangers of unsolicited requests for money on digital platforms, even when they appear to involve celebrities.