Princess Leonor Foundation warns public about AI fraud
The foundation representing Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, has issued a stern warning about the misuse of artificial intelligence in fraudulent activities.
Scammers are said to be using an AI-generated video depicting a 20-year-old princess and spreading it through fake profiles to fool unsuspecting social media users.
On platforms like TikTok, these scammers post videos posing as “Leonor” and lure users with promises of exorbitant payments that can reach thousands of dollars, with an initial “fee” in the range of a few hundred dollars.
Once the victim complies with this initial request, the scammer typically continues to request additional funds before disappearing into thin air. A screenshot of a fraudulent TikTok video allegedly featuring Princess Leonor.
According to an investigation conducted by El Pais in 2024, the phone numbers used in these scams all trace back to the Dominican Republic. Surprisingly, some of the scam videos have racked up more than 1 million views.
In a warning statement, the Princess of Asturias Foundation's official website declared: “The Foundation does not provide financial aid, project grants, lotteries or any other monetary schemes aimed at individual citizens.”
“Equally, the Princess of Asturias does not provide any financial support through the Foundation and any communiqués or profiles suggesting otherwise are patently false.”
TikTok's regulations explicitly prohibit accounts that engage in fraudulent activities or attempts to manipulate the platform, including impersonation for the purpose of gaining financial or social capital.
However, El País reported that when it raised complaints about the hijacking of the princess's identity, which was first identified in December 2024, the platform responded with a uniform message: “We conclude that the reported content does not violate our guidelines.”
Princess Leonor, the eldest child of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, assumed the title of official heir to the throne as Princess of Asturias, Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Mont Blanc, Countess of Cervera and Madame de Balague, following her father's accession to the throne following the abdication of her predecessor in 2014.
If she ultimately ascends the throne, Leonor will be Spain's first female monarch since Isabella II, who ruled from 1833 until her ouster in 1868, and historically the only queen to rule a united Spain on her own rather than through a conjugal alliance.
Leonor will continue her International Baccalaureate studies in Glamorgan, Wales, and complete three years of military training this year in preparation for her future responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief.
Source link: theguardian.com.
