Fraudsters use real-time face-swapping tech and the likeness of royal ‘Fazza’ to ensnare vulnerable targets
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenAgence France-PressePublished: 1:34pm, 3 Jul 2026Updated: 1:36pm, 3 Jul 2026Maria believed she was romancing a prince from Dubai, captivated by his flirtatious smile and declarations of affection he showered on her during live video calls. But the suitor was an AI deepfake, making her yet another victim of an online romance scam.
The case illustrates how fraudsters posing as the real-life crown prince of Dubai ensnare victims by cultivating online relationships before swindling them out of money, with researchers tracing some of the scams to crime syndicates in Nigeria.
Maria met the scammer impersonating Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed, also known by his pen name Fazza, on a dating site before the conversation moved to a messaging app where he bombarded her with romantic messages.
“He kept on messaging me even when I was sleeping,” the Filipino domestic worker said, requesting that her real name and age be withheld.
“It felt like there was a love spell that connected our minds.”
In one recording of a WhatsApp video call seen by Agence France-Presse, the scammer, appearing lifelike as the prince, flickered on the screen. His words matched his lip movements, but not the prince’s voice.
