Copyright news18
It sounds like something out of a movie, but sadly, it’s real. A woman in South Korea was tricked into sending a huge amount of money, around 500 million KRW (roughly $350,000), to someone pretending to be Squid Game star Lee Jung-Jae. The scammer used AI-generated photos of the actor and even sent fake IDs to make the lie seem believable. Over months, the victim was led to believe she was in a romantic relationship with Lee, all while being manipulated and asked for more and more money. According to a report by JTBC, a woman in her 50s fell victim to a romance scam after being contacted by someone posing as Lee Jung-Jae on social media. The impersonator introduced himself as the actor, claiming he wanted to “communicate with fans.” To make his claims believable, the scammer shared AI-generated selfies that appeared to show him “at the airport.” He also sent her a fake ID card and mentioned that he was in the middle of filming Squid Game 3. The realistic visuals and personal details convinced the woman that she was truly in contact with the award-winning star. As the communication continued, the scammer began addressing the woman affectionately as “honey” and “darling,” leading her to believe they had developed a romantic relationship. Soon, another person entered the conversation, posing as a “business executive” who claimed he could arrange a private meeting with Lee Jung-Jae for a fee of 6 million KRW. Over time, the victim was repeatedly asked for more money under various pretexts. The scammers ultimately managed to extort around 500 million KRW over a period of six months. “I truly believed he was the real Lee Jung-Jae. Looking back, I feel so foolish,” the woman said in an interview. Even after authorities began investigating, the impersonator allegedly continued contacting the woman, sending messages such as “Please trust me.” The Miryang Police Department in Gyeongnam Province is now probing possible ties between the fraud and a Cambodian crime network. Meanwhile, Lee Jung-Jae is preparing for the release of his upcoming K-drama Nice To Not Meet You, co-starring The Glory actor Lim Ji-Yeon. The series is set to premiere on November 3. The actor has not yet commented on the scam.
