AI Deepfake Scam Impersonates Taiwanese Crane Operator, Defrauds Hundreds
Scammers used AI technology to create deepfake videos impersonating Taiwanese crane operator 胡漢龑 to fraudulently sell dietary supplements and skincare products online. Over 100 people reportedly purchased counterfeit or misrepresented products after seeing the synthetic media advertisements across Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms.
What happened
Scammers used AI technology to create deepfake videos and audio impersonating 胡漢龑, a 64-year-old crane operator known as the "Crane King of Zhubeima" for his disaster relief work in Hualien. The synthetic media falsely depicted him endorsing dietary supplements, seal oil, and skincare products on multiple platforms including Facebook and TikTok.
The fraudsters edited his past disaster relief videos and added fake voiceovers and subtitles, then posted the fabricated endorsement content across advertising networks. The fake videos featured audio with a mainland Chinese accent and lip-sync that did not match the video, which 胡漢龑 identified as AI-generated.
Reported impact
More than 100 victims reportedly purchased products after viewing the fraudulent advertisements, only to receive items that did not match the advertised brands or came from unknown sources. 胡漢龑 said he received calls nearly every day over one month from people asking if he had begun selling health products.
Index analysis
The scam exploited 胡漢龑's reputation and public visibility following his high-profile disaster relief efforts. By using convincing deepfake technology and recycling his legitimate video content, the fraudsters created convincing fake endorsements that misled consumers into purchasing fraudulent products.
Governance controls
胡漢龑 filed a police report, but stated that most of the fraudulent websites were hosted overseas, making investigation difficult. He manually blocked over 20 fake accounts and posted clarification videos on his company's official website warning the public not to trust any online sales videos using his name. He appealed to social media users to comment on fraudulent content identifying it as a scam to trigger automated platform removal.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.