A woman in South Korea has fallen victim to a romance scam involving criminals posing as Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, losing around 500 million won (approximately US$350,000).
Lee’s agency, Artist Company, confirmed the incident this week, saying in a statement: “A recent crime has occurred in which individuals impersonated our artist to demand money and obtain financial gain. We make it clear that neither the company nor any of our artists ever request money, bank transfers or financial support under any circumstances.”
According to JTBC, the victim — identified only as Ms. A — was contacted on social media by someone pretending to be the award-winning actor. The scammer, who claimed to be communicating directly with fans, sent her AI-generated photos of Lee supposedly taken during the filming of Squid Game 3, along with a fake ID card to make the deception more convincing.
Over several months, the fraudster built trust, using affectionate terms like “honey” and “darling” before asking for money. The first demand was for 6 million won, framed as an opportunity to meet the actor. Ms. A continued sending money over six months — eventually transferring a total of around 500 million won.
The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency has since taken over the case and is investigating possible links to a Cambodian criminal syndicate known for online scams.
Artist Company issued a second statement condemning the impersonation and urging fans to be cautious.
“Neither the company nor our artists will ever ask for money, wire transfers, or sponsorships under any circumstances,” it said. “If you receive any such requests, please do not respond and take extra caution to avoid falling victim to fraud.”
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The agency added that it is working closely with authorities to track down the perpetrators and “will take strong legal action to protect both the actor and his fans.”
Lee Jung-jae, who became a global household name following the success of Netflix’s Squid Game, has not personally commented on the matter. Artist Company reiterated its commitment to maintaining a “safe and healthy fan culture,” urging fans to stay vigilant against potential scams.
