Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae's AI images used to dupe fan of over Rs 3 crore

Lee Jung-jae

Actor Lee Jung-jae, who shot to fame with his performance in Netflix's Squid Game, recently made headlines after his fans were duped with over Rs 3 crore. A female fan of the actor was allegedly scammed for 500 million KWR (Rs 3 crore) using the actor's AI images, with the scammers pretending to be the Korean star.

Lee Jung-jae's fan duped using his AI photos

According to reports, the scammers started scamming the woman by asking for a smaller amount. They first reportedly reached out to the woman via social media, wherein they pretended to be Lee Jung-jae. They initiated contact with her under the false pretence of fan interaction. The victim was then roped in by the scammers, who used fake images along with an identity card to convince her of the fake identity. They even sent fake images from the set of Squid Game to persuade her.

The scamsters built a rapport with her, eventually gaining her confidence before asking her to transfer 6 million KWR (Rs 3.6 lakh) in exchange for an in-person meeting with the actor. The scam continued, and they ultimately managed to extract a total of 500 million KWR (Rs 3 crore) from the fan.

The victim was convinced that she was in a romantic relationship with the actor, and hence sent multiple payments in a period of six months, believing in the promises that she would soon meet him. The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency is reportedly investigating the case. It is believed that the impersonator and his group were a part of a Cambodian crime network. The victim in an interview said, "I truly believe he was the real Lee Jung-jae. Looking back, I feel so foolish."

Lee Jung-jae's agency releases a statement

Consequently, Lee's agency, The Artist Company, responded to the incident, noting that neither the company nor any of the artists that the agency handles ask for money. In an official statement shared on social media account, the agency said, "a crime involving impersonation of our artist to solicit money and gain financial profit has been reported in the media."

"We clearly state that neither the company nor any of our artists will ever ask for money, wire transfers or sponsorships under any circumstances. If you receive any such requests, please do not respond and take extra caution to avoid falling victim to fraud," it added.