Hollywood actor Ioan Gruffudd has warned fans about explicit and disturbing AI-generated content used to impersonate him, after a woman at a convention told him she had believed she was in an extramarital relationship with him for over a year.
In an Instagram post, Gruffudd said the woman showed him hundreds of AI images and videos sent by someone claiming to be him. He said she had been targeted through a Facebook page dedicated to the crime drama Elsbeth, in which Gruffudd played a musician named Angus. A person behind the page sent the woman a cell number and asked her to communicate via Telegram. The person then began sending AI-generated material to prove it was him.
The 53-year-old, who is from near Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and rose to fame in the Hornblower TV series, urged his followers never to engage with such accounts. 'I will never give out my cell number to anyone that I don't personally know,' he said. 'Please do not engage and never send money! I urge you to ignore and block all contact from anyone that claims to be me.' He added that anyone targeted by this person should report them and their number to the police for investigation.
Gruffudd is not the only celebrity to speak out about misleading AI technology. Others who have shared concerns include Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Sir Tom Jones and Martin Lewis. In January, Sir Tom Jones' management posted a similar warning to Instagram, stating that a large number of fake online profiles were impersonating the singer and/or his team. The message said it was sad and disheartening to hear of scammers attempting to trap and abuse vulnerable people.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The incident demonstrates how AI-generated images and videos are being used to perpetrate sophisticated, long-term emotional and financial scams.
- It underscores the growing responsibility for public figures to actively monitor and warn against the misuse of their likeness.
- The case moves the issue of synthetic media harm beyond abstract policy debates into a concrete example of real-world victimisation.
Background
Ioan Gruffudd, known for roles in film and television including The Fantastic Four and the Hornblower series, issued the warning on Instagram after directly encountering a victim of the scam at a fan convention. He described discovering the AI-generated content as 'distressing and disturbing'.
Key Perspectives
Ioan Gruffudd: Stated that he will never give out his cell number or communicate privately with fans, and urged anyone who suspects they are being contacted by an impersonator to block them and report them to the police.
Sir Tom Jones' management: Issued a warning in January against fake online profiles, telling fans the singer only accesses verified accounts and will never communicate directly or personally with individuals on social media.
What to Watch
- Whether social media platforms like Facebook and Telegram take steps to address the specific accounts or methods used in this scam.
- The potential for increased coordination between law enforcement and tech companies to tackle celebrity AI impersonation scams.
- If the incident influences public pressure for legislation targeting the non-consensual creation of deepfake impersonation content.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedA woman believed she was in an extramarital relationship with Ioan Gruffudd for over a year.BBC Wales: ““A woman came to a convention I was recently attending and she was under the impression that she was in an extramarital relationship with me for over a year,” he said in an Instagram post.”
- SupportedGruffudd is 53 and described discovering the AI-generated content as distressing and disturbing.BBC Wales: “The 53-year-old star, from near Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, urged his followers not to send money to people using images and videos of his likeness, after the content was brought to his attention.”
- SupportedGruffudd warned fans about explicit and disturbing AI-generated content impersonating him.BBC Wales: “Hollywood actor Ioan Gruffudd has warned fans of “explicit and disturbing” AI-generated content impersonating him online.”
- SupportedThe woman showed Gruffudd hundreds of AI images and videos sent by someone claiming to be him.BBC Wales: ““She showed me hundreds of AI images and videos that someone claiming to be me had sent to her. The images were explicit and disturbing.””
- SupportedThe woman was targeted through a Facebook page dedicated to Elsbeth, where Gruffudd played musician Angus.BBC Wales: “The actor said the woman had been targeted through a Facebook page dedicated to crime drama Elsbeth, in which Gruffudd played a musician named Angus.”
- SupportedThe person behind the Facebook page sent the woman a cell number and asked her to communicate via Telegram.BBC Wales: “Gruffudd, who rose to fame in the long-running Hornblower TV series, said a person behind the Facebook page had sent the woman “a cell number, and asked her to communicate via Telegram”, an instant messaging app.”
- SupportedThe person then sent AI images and videos to prove they were Gruffudd.BBC Wales: ““'They began sending AI images and videos to 'prove' that it was me,” Gruffudd added.”
- SupportedGruffudd said, “I will never give out my cell number to anyone that I don't personally know,” and urged people not to engage or send money.BBC Wales: ““I will never give out my cell number to anyone that I don't personally know. “Please do not engage and never send money! I urge you to ignore and block all contact from anyone that claims to be me.”
- SupportedGruffudd urged anyone targeted by the person to report them and their number to police for investigation.BBC Wales: ““Lastly, if you have been targeted by this person, please report them and their number to the police for investigation. I have done the same.””
- SupportedScarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Sir Tom Jones and Martin Lewis have also shared concerns about misleading AI technology.BBC Wales: “Other celebrities who have shared concerns include Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Sir Tom Jones and Martin Lewis.”
- SupportedIn January, Sir Tom Jones' management posted a similar Instagram warning about fake profiles impersonating him or his team; the message described scammers trying to trap and abuse vulnerable people as sad and disheartening.BBC Wales: “In a post shared to Instagram, his management wrote: “Regrettably, it has come to our attention that there is a large number of fake online profiles impersonating Sir Tom Jones and/or his team, who are attempting to scam fans and members of the public.””
