A bricklayer was left feeling crushed after a 1,300-mile journey to meet his 'dream woman' saw him learn that she was actually an AI bot.
Having felt lonely for a period of time, Edimar Rocha Martins, 49, thought he had found love online. He stumbled upon videos of a blonde woman who promised him a new life on her farm.
The woman, who called herself Jéssica Oliveira, also known as Jessica Fazendeira, was seen in videos inviting men to move in with her. In most of the videos, she showed off her rural lifestyle.
Social media profile attracted thousands
Jessica's social media profile had attracted over 300,000 followers, with many of them presumably assuming that she was real. Messaging the account, Edimar was assured by Jessica that she would cover his travel costs and support him financially once they were together.
With his mother's death leaving him feeling increasingly isolated prior to talking to Jessica, Edimar decided he needed a fresh start. Saying he was on a 'search of happiness', he bravely pursued the woman he had feelings for.
Leaving Imperatriz in northern Brazil on Friday (October 9), Edimar travelled for over 36 hours by bus. He arrived in Belo Horizonte, around 1,300 miles away by road, on Sunday (11 October).
Reality comes crashing down
Once he got there, Edimar began walking around the area. He showed people photographs of Jessica and asked them if they knew her. Surprisingly for him, no one could identify her.
It was here where reality came crashing down on Edimar, with him learning that dream woman did not exist and that the videos had been generated using artificial intelligence.
“I had already walked around with several photos, showing them and asking if anyone knew this person, and everyone said no, so I felt deceived…
“Sometimes, loneliness at home ends up causing a lot of trouble in a person's life,” he said, adding that this was why he had travelled to meet her.
Help after the discovery
According to Edimar, the fictional woman had told him: “You're going to live with me here on the farm.” This led to him committing to following his heart.
Having spent his salary on the trip, Edimar was left with little money after discovering the truth. Thankfully, he received help from Belo Horizonte's municipal migrant support service.
He was provided food, access to a shower and advice about online scams. With the authorities also arranging a bus ticket, he was allowed to leave the city on Tuesday (October 13).
In spite of him considering returning to Imperatriz, Edimar decided to travel instead to Tocantins, the state where he was born, instead. Asked if he would go back to Belo Horizonte in the future, Edimar replied: “When I go back, it will be in a different way.”
According to reports, the case was the third similar incident in Belo Horizonte in less than six months after two other men travelled there hoping to meet women who turned out to be AI-generated.
