Brazilian Man Deceived by AI-Generated Virtual Influencer, Suffers Financial and Emotional Harm
2026-10-18 | BRA | incident | economic, psychological
Our take
Jessica had over 300,000 followers and none of them had met her either. One man drove 2,100 km to find that out.
The facts
A 49-year-old Brazilian man, grieving his mother's death, was deceived by an AI-generated virtual influencer named "Jessica" with over 300,000 followers. Believing her invitations, he sold possessions and traveled 2,100 km to meet her, only to discover she was not real, resulting in financial loss and emotional distress.