A woman from the Philippines believed she had found love with Dubai’s charming crown prince after weeks of friendly chats and intimate video calls.
However, she soon discovered she was a victim of an elaborate AI-driven romance scam that used deepfake technology to impersonate Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the heir to the Dubai throne.
Maria, a domestic worker who only provided her first name, encountered the scammer on a dating platform, and their conversation quickly migrated to WhatsApp. There, she received a barrage of affectionate messages.
“He kept messaging me even while I was asleep,” she recounted, expressing that it felt as though a love spell had bound them together.
Things took a more convincing turn during a video call.
In one clip seen by news agencies, an image appeared that resembled the real prince. His lips moved in sync with his speech, but his voice was definitely not that of Sheikh Hamdan.
“Hello, my love,” the caller said. “I truly appreciate everyone’s love and support.”
Initially, Maria had no reason to doubt the authenticity of the interaction.
However, by the time the warnings began to surface, she had lost around 100,000 Philippine pesos, which is about $1,625. The scammers managed to persuade her to pay for a marriage certificate and a “royal membership card” that promised job opportunities in Dubai. This amount represented a full year of her savings.
Afterward, they asked her for another 60,000 pesos, or about $974, to reserve a hotel room where they supposedly planned to meet.
This request made Maria reconsider and led her to investigate the prince’s alleged social media accounts.
She found that one of the accounts originated from Nigeria, but it was deleted shortly thereafter. She promptly severed all communication.
“Go to hell, you scammer,” she declared in her last message.
Maria mentioned that many others expressed relief at not losing their sanity after similar experiences.
Researchers cited have indicated that these schemes can often be linked to criminal networks operating out of Nigeria, where fraudsters increasingly utilize artificial intelligence to create convincing online identities.
This is part of a larger trend involving “fake Dubai prince” scams that target individuals looking for love online.
Scammers have tapped into Sheikh Hamdan’s extensive social media presence, boasting over 17 million followers on Instagram, to swipe his image, identity, and even some of his authentic poetry, making victims believe they are interacting with the real royal.
Multiple Facebook groups impersonating the prince have been identified, some with thousands of followers. These pages typically encourage users to shift their conversation to WhatsApp and Telegram, featuring manipulated but highly realistic images.
One photo depicted the prince kneeling with a ring, while another showed him holding a red rose alongside the message: “Sweetheart, can you send me an ‘I love you’ on WhatsApp?”
While some commenters indicated that the accounts were scams, many others responded enthusiastically with heart and kiss emojis.
No immediate statement has been released from Dubai authorities.
Todd Spodek, a New York-based criminal defense attorney representing fraud cases, explained that romance scams typically focus on earning a victim’s trust over time before requesting money.
“They establish long-term relationships with vulnerable individuals, fostering trust and rapport,” he said. “Eventually, they lead victims to a point where they willingly send money until they’ve drained their resources.”
He added that scammers often exploit so-called “social engineering” to target individuals in difficult life situations, such as divorce or bereavement.
Spodek emphasized that awareness is key in combating these increasingly sophisticated scams.
“The initial step is education,” he noted.
Experts advise caution, especially if online relationships escalate into requests for money or high-value gifts.
“When someone asks if they can send you money, gift cards, or even an iPhone, it should definitely raise a red flag,” he cautioned.
