It’s easy to trust a friendly message when you feel seen and appreciated. That’s how one devoted Friends fan says he was drawn into a scam that cost him his savings and his peace of mind. What began as a flattering conversation soon became a painful lesson.

Paul Davies, 43, from Southampton, believed he was speaking with Jennifer Aniston on social media. The messages felt warm and personal, and the sender even claimed to “love” him. When she asked for £200 to cover her “Apple subscriptions,” Paul wanted to help.

The turning point came when the fake celebrity sent him a phony driver’s licence to “prove” her identity. Paul, already overwhelmed by convincing deepfake videos, believed it was real. He sent the money in the form of non-refundable gift cards before realizing he had been tricked.

Paul says the scam was part of a larger wave of AI-generated fraud. He received videos that looked shockingly real, including fake clips of tech figures claiming he had won prizes. Each message felt more believable than the last, leaving him confused and exhausted.

The experience deeply affected his mental health, and he now shares his story to warn others. His case isn’t isolated; other victims have lost far more to scammers using AI-generated images and emotional manipulation. One French woman even lost her life savings to a fake “Brad Pitt.”

Paul hopes his honesty will spare someone else the heartbreak he endured. His message is simple: when something feels too real to question, that’s the moment to pause.