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Photo of Edimar Martins and the AI-generated "woman" he followed YouTube

49-year-old bricklayer sells everything he owns and travels 1,200+ miles for online love — she was AI-generated

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The woman, known online as Jéssica Oliveira or Jéssica Fazendeira, was an AI-generated persona.

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How the trip unraveled, and the loneliness behind it

Martins told Brazilian broadcaster TV Mirante he first came across the social media account in 2020 and never suspected she wasn’t real, the Post reports. On Oct. 9, he sold his belongings to pay for a bus trip to Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil.

He arrived on Oct. 11 and couldn’t find her. A local radio station told him she didn’t exist. Out of money, he went to City Hall, where he told a social worker he had made the trip because he was tired of being lonely, and received help getting home.

The TikTok account, @JessicaFazendeira, has over 314,000 followers. In one video, the persona said she wanted a man to move onto her farm so she could support him fully. Later, the person behind the account posted a video acknowledging the character was AI and denying any direct contact with Martins, saying the aim was to gain engagement for sale, the Post reported.

Martins isn’t unique in feeling alone. The World Health Organization reported in June 2025 that about 1 in 6 people worldwide is affected by loneliness, which it links to more than 871,000 deaths a year.

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What authorities say about AI-built profiles and scams

The Post’s account doesn’t describe anyone asking Martins for money. But the FBI warns that criminals use generative AI to create fictitious social media profiles in bulk, along with realistic photos and videos meant to convince victims they’re talking to a real person. The bureau says the technology reduces the time and effort needed to deceive targets.

The numbers are significant. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 22,300 complaints referencing AI in 2025, with adjusted losses above $893.3 million. Victims lost more than $19 million to romance and confidence scams with a likely AI link.

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Romance and confidence scams overall drew 23,159 complaints and about $929.3 million in reported losses, up from about $672 million in 2024.

Federal authorities recently arrested five suspects accused of running a $15 million romance scam that allegedly used fake dating profiles and AI-generated videos to target more than 100 older Americans.

Social media is often where it starts. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said in April that nearly 60% of people who lost money to a romance scam in 2025 reported that it began on social media, and that scammers often tailor their pitch to what people post in their profiles.

Before you get serious with someone you’ve met online

The FTC’s advice is to never send money or gifts to someone you haven’t met in person. If you suspect a romance scam, it says to stop communicating, talk to someone you trust and run a reverse image search on the person’s profile photo.

The FBI adds that AI-generated images can show telltale flaws, such as distorted hands or feet, unrealistic teeth or eyes and inaccurate shadows, though it concedes AI-generated content can be hard to identify. It also advises against sending money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or other items of value to people you don’t know or have met only online or on the phone.

If you’ve been targeted, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

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Emma Caplan-Fisher Contributor

With a writing and editing career spanning over 15 years, Emma creates and refines content across a broad spectrum of industries, including personal finance, lifestyle, travel, health & wellness, real estate, beauty & fitness and B2B/SaaS/tech.

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