A post in the popular Israeli Facebook group Secret Tel Aviv has sparked outrage and a broader discussion about online impersonation and AI-driven scams. The post, authored by someone identifying as "Ariel Shahar," described a wealthy man in his 40s seeking a younger female partner aged 20-28 with "good genetics"—a phrase that provoked widespread backlash for its objectifying tone.
The post, shared widely with thousands of comments and likes, drew criticism from feminists and others who decried its condescension.
Online researcher Revital Salomon decided to investigate its authenticity and quickly discovered through a reverse image search that the photos of "Ariel Shahar" were actually of Joe Mongogna, an unrelated American man. Salomon shared her findings on X (formerly Twitter), questioning the identity and motives of the individual behind the post.
The incident highlighted the growing phenomenon of "honeytraps," where fake profiles are used to manipulate victims for financial or personal gain. Experts warn that technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence, are making such schemes increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect.
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“With technological advances, especially in AI, online impersonation has become increasingly sophisticated," Ahiya Schatz, CEO of misinformation watchdog FakeReporter, said. "Honeytraps are designed to inflict significant financial losses on victims."
"Scammers often pose as prominent figures, invest time in building long-term relationships and ultimately convince victims to transfer money to them. These con artists employ highly persuasive tactics, targeting vulnerable individuals who are less likely to identify the deception. This makes it crucial to remain vigilant and exercise caution online," he added.
Sandra Grodensky, Cyber VP at ActiveFence, an Israeli company focused on identifying and preventing harmful online content, added, “Recently, there’s been a rise in the use of fake profiles for romantic schemes."
"The motives range from trolling for amusement to elaborate scams aimed at financial fraud through building trust using advanced methods. With AI advancements, these scams have become more prevalent, convincing and harder to detect — underscoring the need for awareness and advanced tools to combat them."
A recent ActiveFence report revealed scammers’ use of AI tools to generate deepfake videos and convincingly mimic real people’s voices. AI has also overcome traditional red flags such as poor grammar or unnatural phrasing, enabling more effective catfishing, financial fraud and honeytraps.