According to ChainCatcher, a woman from San Jose, California, named Margaret Loke, discovered she was a victim of a cryptocurrency scam after consulting ChatGPT. In May, Loke met a man on Facebook who identified himself as 'Ed,' claiming to be a wealthy businessman. Over time, he built an emotional connection with her and persuaded her to invest in cryptocurrency.
Loke transferred over $490,000 from her retirement account and an additional $300,000 through a second mortgage on her home. When her supposed cryptocurrency account was suddenly 'frozen,' 'Ed' demanded an extra $1 million to unfreeze it. Seeking advice, Loke described her situation to ChatGPT, which identified the scenario as a known scam and recommended she contact the authorities.
Investigations revealed that the funds were transferred to a bank account in Malaysia, where they were subsequently withdrawn by the scammers.