How a Deepfake of a Soap Star Turned One Woman’s Life Upside Down—And What It Means for Your Digital Security

Imagine getting a personal shout-out from your all-time favorite celebrity—sounds like a jackpot, right? Now, what if I told you that this dream scenario has turned into a nightmare for some, thanks to slick scammers armed with AI wizardry? Yeah, it’s wild out there. One woman fell prey to deepfake videos of a beloved soap opera star, believing she’d found a genuine connection—only to lose her house and life savings in the process. It’s a harsh reminder that the digital age’s shiny tech can be a double-edged sword. Curious how a fake Steve Burton video led to such a devastating blow and, more importantly, how you can dodge this bullet yourself? Stick around—there’s a lot to unpack here. LEARN MORE

Receiving a personalized message from your favorite celebrity would be a dream for most people. Unfortunately, scammers have learned this is one of the easiest ways to lure in potential victims, so they have employed AI technology to make it more convincing than ever. That’s what happened to one woman who was duped by fake videos of a soap opera star and even lost her house because of it. Keep reading to learn more about the recent General Hospital scam that led to a serious financial setback, plus tips to avoid becoming a victim yourself.  

How a fake Steve Burton video convinced a woman to hand over her savings

In late August, a California woman shared that her mother had given away her life savings to a scammer. The woman actually believed she was giving money to General Hospital star and fan favorite Steve Burton.

Vivian Ruvalcaba told ABC7 that her mom, Abigail (who has bipolar 1 disorder), started receiving video messages via Facebook in October 2024. It didn’t take long for the conversation to move to WhatsApp, with “Burton” quickly sweet-talking the woman. 

“I want to live the rest of my life with you,” the scammer wrote in one of the messages, which was shared with ABC7. At one point, there was also mention of Burton losing his property in the LA wildfires earlier this year.

By the time Vivian learned what was going on, Abigail had already sent the unknown scammer more than $81,000 in cash, bitcoin and gift cards. Plus, her condo had been sold for $350,000, with $70,000 of that profit set to be given away, as well. Her daughter’s intervention kept that money from also ending up in the wrong hands. 

Since then, the family has been working with a lawyer in an attempt to get the home sale reversed. 

Why the scam was so convincing

Though scammers posing as celebrities is certainly nothing new, advancements in technology have made it easier than ever to pretend to be someone in the public eye. This is done to create a level of trust by making the victim believe they are in fact talking to the celebrity in question. 

Abigail was receiving deepfake videos (which are created by AI) to copy Burton’s voice and likeness. The “actor” would then tell the victim how much she meant to him to build even more trust. 

“Hello, Abigail, I love you so much, darling,” the fake Burton said in one video, shared by Good Morning America. “I had to make this video to make you happy, my love. I hope this puts a smile on your heart. Nothing will ever make me hurt you or lie to you, my queen.”

You can watch part of the AI-generated video below:

The video was so convincing that it made Abigail believe the soap opera star truly had feelings for her.

“To me, it looks real, even now,” she told KTLA. “I don’t know anything about AI.”

After that, any requests the scammer made were honored, including selling her condo so they could buy a property together.  

What Steve Burton said about scammers pretending to be him

After news broke about the scam, Burton opened up about how often scammers have duped fans by pretending to be him. “I see people come to my appearances and look at me like they’ve had a relationship online for a couple years, and I’m like, ‘No, I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are,’ and you just see, It’s so sad, you see the devastation,” he shared with ABC7. 

He also insisted he will never ask fans for money and took to his official social media account to post a similar warning so others did not get scammed by people pretending to be him.

“Please be careful. Fakes everywhere,” Burton wrote in the caption. “I only message on Instagram @1steveburton if I do. My agent, or anybody representing me will never message you. It’s not me ever. Be careful.”

Tips to stay safe from AI-generated scams

The sophistication of deepfake videos can make it tough to distinguish between reality and AI-generated content. Despite this, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself from becoming a victim. 

Here are red flags to watch for:

• Scammer offers to send/exchange photos or videos for reassurance.
• The person reaches out via social media, dating apps or “wrong number” text messages.
• Excuses are provided as to why the person cannot meet in person.
• Assistance is requested due to some urgent issue or emergency situation.
• There are requests for personal or financial information as the relationship involves.

To stay safe, the Secret Service says people should avoid sending money or sharing personal information with someone they have never met in person. It’s also important to know that video calls are not enough to prove one’s identity as those can be faked, as well.

If you believe you have been a victim of one of these scams, contact your local police department and/or local Secret Service field office.