Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd has reported to police after a woman arrived at a recent fan convention believing she had been in an extramarital relationship with him for more than a year, deceived by an online impersonator using explicit and disturbing AI-generated images and videos.
Gruffudd, 53, known for playing Mr Fantastic in the Fantastic Four films and Horatio Hornblower in the Hornblower TV movies, posted on social media to warn fans about AI scams using his image.
A Distressing Discovery at a Convention
Writing on Instagram, Gruffudd said: "Something incredibly distressing and disturbing has been brought to my attention. A woman came to a convention I was recently attending and she was under the impression that she was in an extramarital relationship with me for over a year."
Gruffudd added that the woman "showed me hundreds of AI images and videos that someone claiming to be me had sent to her. The images were explicit and disturbing."
The impersonator contacted her through an Elsbeth Facebook page, sent her a cell number, and asked her to use Telegram. They then sent AI images and videos to "prove" their identity.
Warning to Fans and Next Steps
Gruffudd emphasised that if fans think they are talking to him through messages, Telegram, or any social media page that is not his official page (@ioangruffudd), it is not really him. "I will never give out my cell number to anyone that I don't personally know," he said. "Please do not engage and never send money! I urge you to ignore and block all contact from anyone that claims to be me."
He also urged anyone targeted by the person to report them and their number to the police for investigation, adding, "I have done the same." Gruffudd shared the mobile phone number of the person pretending to be him.
He joins a growing list of public figures and celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and Martin Lewis, who have spoken out against the harmful use of AI deepfake technology.
