A man was arrested in the canton of Jipijapa, in Ecuador’s Manabí province, accused of posing as a police officer to deceive and allegedly scam women through social media.
According to police, the suspect used photographs edited with artificial intelligence to completely transform his appearance. In images posted on TikTok, under the name @shaggycuchybendel, and on other platforms, he appeared with a muscular body, light-colored eyes, and a police uniform, projecting the image of an attractive officer on duty.
However, at the time of his arrest, authorities confirmed that his appearance was very different from what he showed online. He was even wearing several layers of clothing to appear more physically robust when he showed up in person.
According to the investigation, the man contacted women through social media, gained their trust by pretending to be a police officer, and later asked them for money under various pretexts. But that’s not all: it was reported that he has a prior record for intimidation.
The case quickly went viral and reopened the debate about the risks of trusting people known only through the internet. It also put the spotlight back on the use of artificial intelligence to alter photographs and build false identities that are increasingly difficult to detect.
Authorities reiterated the call to verify the identity of any person before establishing trusting relationships or making money transfers, especially when the contact occurs exclusively through social media.
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