Fake Ronaldo deceives Greek woman: what’s the story?

A call with someone who appeared to be Cristiano Ronaldo turned into a scam for a woman in Patras, western Greece, after she lost 100 euros believing she was communicating with the Portuguese football star.

The incident began when a scammer contacted a woman, known as Ms. Nikoletsa, through social media, claiming to be Ronaldo and informing her that he wanted to provide her with financial assistance as part of a charitable initiative.

During a video call, the scammer used artificial intelligence to create a fake image of Cristiano Ronaldo using deepfake technology, showing him sitting inside a luxury white car. He told her in Greek: "Look closely at my face, don't think I'm a thief, okay?".

The scammer asked the woman to send 100 euros through the Greek instant payment service 'IRIS', claiming that the amount was necessary to complete the financial assistance procedures. She responded to his request and transferred the amount in two installments, each worth 50 euros.

However, as soon as the two transfers were completed, the fake Ronaldo disappeared and stopped responding to her messages, leading the woman to realize she had fallen victim to a scam.

Nikoleta told the "Gnomi" newspaper in Patras, according to local media, that she was convinced the person who appeared before her was indeed Ronaldo, explaining: "He told me that Cristiano Ronaldo himself could help me, but to legitimize this help, I had to pay 50 euros twice."

She added: "To convince me that he is not a thief, he made a video call with me and I saw him; Ronaldo was inside a luxury white car, telling me that he helps those in need around the world. I was convinced and paid the money, but it turned out that I had fallen victim to a scam."

This incident highlights a concerning aspect of the use of artificial intelligence technologies, as they have become capable of creating fake content that is difficult for some to distinguish from reality, which could be exploited by fraudsters to deceive victims.

In contrast, these technologies remain a tool that can be employed in positive and beneficial areas, making the way they are used the key factor in determining their impact.