Scammed: Woman lost nearly $20,000 believing she spoke with a renowned immigration lawyer

A woman, identified only as Martha, has lost nearly $20,000 after being defrauded by individuals who used artificial intelligence to impersonate a prominent immigration lawyer.

The scammers reportedly created fake profiles and employed AI technology to mimic the image and voice of lawyer Aníbal Romero, who is known for his presence on TikTok and other social media platforms. Over several months, they engaged Martha in video calls and conversations, convincing her to make multiple money transfers for a supposed immigration process for her husband.

"I follow a lawyer who appears on TikTok. I supposedly spoke with him, but I don't know at what point the thieves got involved," Martha recounted. She explained that she participated in video calls and sent payments through Zelle, with individual transfers ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, accumulating to a total loss close to $20,000. The deception included fake interviews and fabricated documents, such as images of a Social Security card and an official envelope, which never materialized.

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I follow a lawyer who appears on TikTok. I supposedly spoke with him, but I don't know at what point the thieves got involved.

Lawyer Aníbal Romero confirmed to Telemundo 52 Responde that his identity has been used in similar scams before. He explained that criminals create fake profiles and use AI tools to generate convincing likenesses. "Sometimes it's not even me. It's an image created with my face," Romero stated. His team has reported the fake profiles to authorities and hired specialists to remove them, but he warned that the ease of AI content generation allows new fraudulent accounts to appear constantly.

In light of the increasing frequency of such AI-powered scams, Romero strongly advises the public to always verify the identity of any professional before sharing personal documents or sending money. This case highlights the growing threat of sophisticated scams leveraging artificial intelligence to exploit individuals seeking essential services.

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Sometimes it's not even me. It's an image created with my face.