L.A. Woman Reportedly Defrauded of $81,000 and $350,000 Condo Proceeds in Romance Scam Using Purported Deepfake Videos of Actor Steve Burton
In October 2024, Los Angeles resident Abigail Ruvalcaba was reportedly targeted in a romance scam using purported AI-generated deepfake videos and voice impersonations of actor Steve Burton. Believing she was in a relationship, she allegedly sent over $81,000 in cash, gift cards, and crypto, then sold her condo for $350,000 and transferred proceeds to the scammer. Her daughter intervened in February 2025, but the family now reportedly faces bankruptcy and legal battles to recover losses.
- Date it happened
- 2024-10-01
- Organisation involved
- Unknown scammers impersonating Steve Burton, Scammers
- Product, system or model
- WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Deepfake technology, Synthetic audio generation technology
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