Musician's Identity Stolen in Sophisticated AI Scam
A Birmingham musician has become the latest victim of AI-powered romance fraud after scammers used deepfake technology to impersonate her and manipulate a man from Texas out of thousands of dollars. Becky Baldwin, a 34-year-old professional musician, discovered her digital identity had been stolen and weaponised in what experts are calling an increasingly common form of exploitation.
The Shocking Discovery
Becky's nightmare began in June when she received a bewildering email from a man called Carl in his fifties living in Texas. "He wrote, 'It's so nice not to hear you begging me for money all the time,'" Becky recalls. "I was completely confused and replied that I'd never do such a thing. I'd never spoken to this man in my entire life."
Carl remained sceptical until Becky provided proof of her real identity. The Texan man then revealed why he'd been so convinced - he possessed multiple videos of Becky that appeared to show her speaking directly to him, using affectionate terms and even saying his name.
"The videos showed my face, but my mouth had been manipulated using AI to say things like, 'Darling, we'll spend the rest of our lives together, trust me,'" Becky explains. The footage had been harvested from her Facebook profile and digitally altered, though the voice didn't match her real speaking voice.
How the Elaborate Scam Unfolded
Carl revealed he'd first been contacted in February through Facebook before the conversation moved to Telegram, a common tactic among fraudsters because of the platform's enhanced security features. Over several months, the imposter using Becky's stolen identity built what felt like a genuine relationship with Carl.
"He said he should have known it was too good to be true, but that it felt good. He wanted it to be real," Becky says of Carl's emotional response when he discovered the truth. The scammer's constant requests for money eventually raised Carl's suspicions, leading him to contact the real Becky Baldwin.
By that time, thousands of dollars had already been sent to the fraudster posing as the musician. Becky decided not to pursue legal action but created an awareness video to warn her social media followers about the dangers of AI manipulation.
Growing Threat of AI-Enhanced Fraud
This case highlights a disturbing trend in online fraud. According to the charity Crimestoppers, British victims lost £106 million to romance scams last year alone. Recent statistics from Barclays show one in ten UK adults have either been targeted themselves or know someone who has fallen prey to such schemes, with romance fraud increasing by 20% year-on-year.
Research from online security firm McAfee reveals that nearly three quarters (74%) of Britons have encountered potential romance scams through dating apps, while 64% have come across them on social media platforms.
Wayne Stevens, National Fraud Lead at Victim Support, explains: "Romance fraud has been on the rise for several years. AI is making it more sophisticated and is giving criminals new ways to exploit people's trust and emotions. Scammers can use AI tools to create convincing profiles, generate natural-sounding messages, and even fake video calls."
Mr Stevens emphasises the particular cruelty of romance fraud: "The impact can be devastating, both financially and emotionally. There's the heartbreak of discovering the relationship was fake, which can lead to feelings of shame, embarrassment and loss of trust."
Protecting Yourself in the Digital Age
For Becky, the experience has changed how she approaches her online presence. "As a musician, I have quite a big social media following and I've had fake profiles made of me for years," she says. "But this was different. I was shocked at how realistic the videos were. It really freaked me out."
She expresses concern about the accessibility of this technology: "It's scary - anything can be done with your image. Anyone could do this, and access to AI is universal." Despite relying on social media for her career, Becky admits the incident has made her more wary about creating content.
Becky joins cybersecurity experts in calling for technology companies to take more responsibility: "The tech companies should be cracking down on things like this," she states.
Victim Support offers free, confidential assistance for anyone affected by fraud through their Supportline at 08 08 16 89 111 or via live chat at victimsupport.org.uk. The organisation also provides My Support Space, a free online resource featuring a self-guided Romance Fraud guide for those preferring to access support independently.
