Man loses car and cash in AI-powered catfishing scam in Georgia
A Georgia man reportedly lost a vehicle and cash after being deceived in an online romance with a fictional female persona. The scam allegedly involved stolen photographs, voice-changing technology, and artificial intelligence, and was perpetrated by Caleb Mills, 25, who created a fake identity as a fake sheriff's deputy to defraud multiple victims.
What happened
Caleb Mills, 25, allegedly used stolen photographs from women's social media accounts, multiple telephone numbers, voice-changing technology and artificial intelligence to create a fictitious identity named 'Hailey Morello,' posing as a female sheriff's deputy.
One victim believed he was engaged to 'Hailey' and exchanged his vehicle with Mills while also giving him an undisclosed amount of money. Police say Mills used photographs of a real sheriff's deputy in Florida to create the fake identity.
Detectives identified additional victims across multiple states. The victim's family grew suspicious of the catfishing scheme, attempted to warn him, and repeatedly contacted Mills, prompting Mills to file a harassment claim while posing as 'Hailey.'
Reported impact
One victim lost a vehicle and an undisclosed amount of cash to the scam. The victim also reportedly spent months believing he was engaged to the fictional woman.
Index analysis
The scam combined multiple AI and voice technologies with social engineering, including impersonation of a public officer, to establish fraudulent online relationships and extract financial and material assets from victims.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.