Romantic scam: South Korean woman duped by fake Squid Game actor loses €300,000
A South Korean woman in her fifties has fallen victim to an elaborate online romance scam, losing the equivalent of €300,000 to someone impersonating Lee Jung-jae, the famous actor from the global hit series Squid Game.
According to local media reports, the fraud began in early April on TikTok, when the victim received a message from a profile claiming to be the 52-year-old star. The fake “Lee Jung-jae” pretended to be filming the third season of the show and said he wanted to communicate with fans.
Over the course of six months, the woman exchanged daily messages with the impostor, who used affectionate nicknames and emotional manipulation to gain her trust. The scammer later introduced a supposed “manager” who demanded money for various “expenses,” including travel costs and VIP passes to meet the actor.
Despite her initial hesitation, the victim eventually made several transfers totaling hundreds of thousands of euros. When she finally asked to meet in person, the fraudster disappeared, leaving behind only false promises and fake documents — including what investigators believe were AI-generated images of the actor.
South Korean authorities suspect the network behind the scam may be operating from Cambodia and using artificial intelligence to create realistic photos and videos.
Artist Company, the real agency representing Lee Jung-jae, released a statement urging fans to be cautious:
“Neither our company nor our artists will ever request money or personal transfers. If you receive such messages, please ignore them and report the incident.”
The agency added that it is cooperating with authorities to protect both the actor and his fans.
Squid Game remains one of Netflix’s most-watched series worldwide, and Lee Jung-jae’s fame since his Emmy Award win in 2022 has made him a frequent target for online impersonators.
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