51-Year-Old from Pongau Transfers 40,000 Euros to Scammers Using AI Celebrity Fake

Perpetrators Relied on Artificial Intelligence

When the 51-year-old wanted to have the promised profit of 170,000 euros paid out, the scammers demanded an additional payment in the mid-five-figure range. Only at that moment did the man realize, according to police, that he had been the victim of a scam.

"The investigation into the unknown perpetrators is ongoing," the officers now said. The perpetrators have so far not been identified, and the securing of digital evidence and international cooperation with platform operators is reportedly proving difficult, according to police.

Investigation Against Unknown Perpetrators

The case is part of a growing number of investment fraud offenses registered across Austria. Recently, the wife of a Viennese lawyer was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for embezzling 75,000 euros. Authorities have been warning for months about a new wave of digital fraud schemes that increasingly employ AI-supported forgeries.

At the same time, police in Upper Austria are warning of a new burglary method using adhesive threads on apartment doors, with which perpetrators check whether residents are at home. In Vienna as well, a major fire at a waste incineration site and an incident at a public viewing recently made headlines, in which a 21-year-old is said to have seriously injured a 25-year-old woman with an ashtray.

Police Warn of Growing Wave of Fraud

Experts advise being fundamentally skeptical of supposed investment offers on the internet. Legitimate investment advisors do not demand upfront payments to release profits, nor do they use celebrity endorsements circulated on social media. Those who are unsure should first clarify offers with the consumer advice center or their bank.

In the current case, the victim has filed a criminal complaint. Whether the 40,000 euros can ever be recovered is uncertain, according to investigators. Police are now relying on tips from the public and on digital evidence that could lead to the perpetrators.

Tips for Protection Against Investment Fraud

The incident illustrates the growing threat posed by AI-supported fraud schemes, in which faked voices, images, and endorsements of well-known figures can appear deceptively real. Security authorities in several European countries have observed a marked increase in such methods over the past year.

The investigation is ongoing. Police ask individuals who have likewise come across such investment platforms or been contacted by them to report to their nearest police station.