A romance scam involving someone impersonating renowned actor Lee Jung Jae has recently come to light.
According to JTBC on October 21 KST, a woman in her 50s (identified as Ms. A) was defrauded of approximately 500 million KRW (around $350,000 USD) by a group posing as Lee Jung Jae.
Ms. A first encountered the scammer through social media, where the person introduced himself as “Lee Jung Jae,” claiming he wanted to “communicate with fans.” To gain her trust, he sent her AI-generated selfies taken “at the airport” and even showed a forged ID card, saying he was currently filming 'Squid Game 3.'
Over time, the scammer affectionately addressed Ms. A as “honey” and “darling,” creating the illusion of a romantic relationship. He then introduced another accomplice, posing as a “business executive,” who claimed he could arrange a private meeting with Lee Jung-jae—in exchange for 6 million KRW. The group continued demanding money under various pretexts, eventually extorting around 500 million KRW over six months.
Ms. A said in an interview,
“I truly believed he was the real Lee Jung ㅓae. Looking back, I feel so foolish.”
The Miryang Police Department in Gyeongnam Province is currently investigating the case, considering the possibility that the scam may be linked to a Cambodian crime network. Even after the investigation began, the impersonator reportedly continued sending Ms. A messages such as,
“Please trust me.”
A romance scam is a type of online fraud where perpetrators pretend to form romantic relationships with victims to gain their trust and extract money. These scams often involve the use of AI-generated photos, fake identities, and emotional manipulation to deceive victims over long periods.
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