A Los Angeles woman lost nearly $100,000 after falling victim to a scam involving an AI impersonation of actor Steve Burton, best known for his role as Jason Morgan on the soap opera General Hospital. The scam, which began in October 2022, involved the perpetrator establishing a relationship online with the victim, who struggles with mental health issues, including Bipolar 1 Disorder.
The scammer initially contacted Abigail through Facebook Messenger, where he sent her deepfake videos that convincingly replicated Burton’s likeness and voice. Their interactions progressed to WhatsApp, where the scammer cultivated a false romance, leading Abigail to believe that he intended to spend his life with her. One message reportedly stated, “‘Steve Burton and Abigail Burton’ sounds like a dream come true.”
The deception deepened when the scammer fabricated a story about losing his home in the devastating Los Angeles fires. Believing she was helping her beloved, Abigail sent a staggering total of at least $81,304 in cash, gift cards, and Bitcoin to the impersonator. Tragically, this left her facing bankruptcy, a situation compounded when she sold her condo for $350,000 in anticipation of sending more funds to the scammer.
Fortunately, Abigail’s daughter, Vivian Ruvalcaba, intervened before her mother could transfer additional money. Vivian took the deepfake videos to ABC 7 News, where experts confirmed the videos were indeed AI-generated. In a statement, the real Steve Burton expressed awareness of similar scams that exploit his identity to lure victims into financial traps.
In light of their experience, Abigail and her family decided to share their story publicly to raise awareness about such cyber scams. They are also pursuing a lawsuit related to the sale of the condo, aiming to recover some of the lost funds. This case serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers posed by advanced technology and the need for vigilance in the digital age.
