Nigerians Arrested in Thailand Over AI Dating Scam

Thai police have arrested six Nigerian men accused of running a sophisticated romance scam network that used AI-generated faces and fake video calls to deceive victims, officials said Saturday.

The suspects were apprehended during a raid codenamed “Dark Room Crackdown” on Thursday at a luxury riverside condominium in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok.

According to The Nation Thailand, police seized 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank books from the condominium.

One of the suspects. Credit: Bangkok Lad/X

Investigators said the devices contained alleged romance-scam chats, scam scripts and AI-generated profile images.

“Police seized 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank books. Investigators said the devices contained alleged romance-scam chats, scam scripts and AI-generated profile images,” The Nation Thailand reported.

Unlike traditional romance scams that use stolen photos, investigators said the group employed artificial intelligence to create convincing fake identities.

The suspects used AI-generated faces for their online profiles and employed deepfake technology during video calls to make victims believe they were speaking to real people.

The suspects posed as foreign professionals, including pilots, soldiers, lawyers, engineers and doctors, using fake profiles on platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat, TikTok, Line and Zalo, The Nation Thailand reported.

The alleged scheme involved cultivating romantic trust with victims over time. Once an emotional connection was established, scammers would claim that an overseas parcel sent to the victim had been detained by customs and demand money to release it.

It was reported that many of the victims were elderly Thai women.

The six suspects were named as Denis, 23; Ejikeme, 24; Ibekwe, 29; Okorom, 26; Nwosu, 30; and Obielu, 35.

Five of them had overstayed their visas by periods ranging from 695 to 1,560 days, according to The Nation Thailand.

Thai PBS World reported that the men entered Thailand on student visas but never attended any classes or held regular jobs, yet their bank accounts showed substantial deposits.