In Hong Kong, romance scams carried out using deepfake technology caused men to lose over $46 million in total. Police arrested 27 individuals for fraud, revealing that scammers gained victims’ trust through intimate conversations using fake profiles. Hong Kong police conducted an operation against a gang swindling men using deepfake technology. Authorities disclosed that men lost over $46 million in total due to the “romance scam” incidents. At a press conference held on Monday, it was announced that 27 individuals were arrested for fraud. Among the arrested scammers, 21 were male and 6 were female, ranging in age from 21 to 34. Police noted that most had received education in digital media and technology, choosing to collaborate with criminal groups. Scammers approached victims with a fake female profile, engaging in intimate conversations and making plans for the future. Each stage of the scam operation is carried out by specialized teams, taking into account the emotional states of victims. Deepfake technology enables the creation of realistic fake images and voices using artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques. This technology is being used for malicious purposes such as fraud, disinformation, and personal privacy breaches. In previous months, another fraud incident using deepfake technology occurred in Hong Kong. An employee of a multinational engineering firm unknowingly processed a $25.6 million transfer during a video conference to verify a message containing “secret transactions” from their supervisor in London, which was discovered to have utilized deepfake. The truth emerged when the company contacted its headquarters. Hong Kong police announced plans to intensify public awareness campaigns to prevent such frauds.