A Warning for TikTok Users: AI-Generated Videos of Spain's Princess Leonor Are Being Used for Scams
A Royal Warning: AI-Generated Videos of Princess Leonor Are Cheating People Out of Money
A foundation representing Princess Leonor, the 20-year-old heir to the Spanish throne, has issued a stark warning about a new scam on TikTok. Scammers are using AI-generated videos of the princess, posted by fake profile pages, to trick social media users into handing over their money. In these posts, Leonor promises users payments of thousands of dollars in exchange for an upfront "fee" of a few hundred dollars. Once this "fee" is paid, the fraudster typically demands more money before disappearing.
An investigation by El País newspaper in 2024 found that all the telephone numbers used in the scam were from the Dominican Republic. Some of the videos had been viewed over a million times, the paper reported. The Princess of Asturias Foundation, which represents Leonor, has stated that "the foundation does not have any programs offering financial help, subsidies for projects, lotteries, or any other monetary operations for the benefit of individual citizens." The foundation also emphasized that "the Princess of Asturias does not offer financial help via the foundation, and any message or profile suggesting the contrary is false."
TikTok's rules prohibit accounts that cheat or manipulate the platform, as well as exchanges of services that artificially increase interaction. However, El País reported that whenever they complained to TikTok about the theft of the princess's identity, which was first detected in December 2024, they received the same response: "We have determined that the reported content is not in breach of our regulations."
Leonor is the eldest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. She is set to become Spain's first female ruler since Isabella II, who ruled from 1833 until she was deposed in 1868. Leonor studied for an international baccalaureate in Glamorgan, Wales, and will complete her three-year military training this year, preparing her for her role as commander-in-chief. But here's where it gets controversial... What do you think? Are these scammers targeting Princess Leonor's name for personal gain, or is there a more complex explanation? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
