Scammers created dozens of fake TikTok accounts impersonating Spanish Princess Leonor using AI tools, promising financial aid to vulnerable victims primarily in Latin America who were then defrauded of hundreds to thousands of dollars through escalating fee demands.
Fraudsters created dozens of fake TikTok accounts impersonating Princess Leonor of Spain, who does not have an official TikTok presence. Some of these profiles were created using artificial intelligence tools to mimic the princess's voice and likeness, accumulating hundreds of thousands of followers. The scammers promised substantial financial aid, sometimes exceeding $100,000, to users who engaged with their content. Victims were asked to pay small initial fees of $100-$200 for 'taxes' or 'legal costs' through Western Union accounts, but scammers then demanded escalating additional payments. One documented victim, Juana Cobo from Guatemala, lost approximately $880 after multiple payment demands. The scam particularly targeted elderly and vulnerable individuals in Latin America. TikTok's algorithm amplified these fraudulent posts due to high engagement, with some videos reaching over one million views. All traced phone numbers and payment accounts were based in the Dominican Republic. TikTok Spain removed several accounts after being alerted by journalists, but many remained active. This represents a modern evolution of the centuries-old 'Nigerian prince' advance fee fraud, now leveraging AI technology and social media algorithms for global reach.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed