Caleb Mills (Athens-Clarke County Police Department).
A Georgia man allegedly convinced another person he was engaged to a woman sheriff’s deputy he had never actually met, with the victim sending money and even allowing the supposed fiancée to use his vehicle, police said. Investigators now say the person behind the online romance was not a woman at all.
Caleb Mills, 25, is accused of building the fake persona “Hailey Morello” using stolen images, several phone numbers, voice-altering tools and artificial intelligence, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police Department press release. Authorities said the elaborate identity was allegedly designed to deceive and financially exploit unsuspecting people.
In one alleged case, police said a victim came to believe he was engaged to “Hailey,” exchanged vehicles with Mills and handed over an unspecified amount of cash. Investigators said Mills used photographs of a real Florida sheriff’s deputy to help make the fictional woman appear credible.
“Mills allegedly used photos taken from women’s social media accounts to create fake identities and accounts … to establish online relationships with victims,” the ACCPD said in its statement. Detectives added that they have since found more alleged victims in multiple states.
The family of the man who thought he was engaged to “Hailey” told authorities they were suspicious and believed their loved one was the victim of a “catfishing scheme,” according to local NBC affiliate WXIA.
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Relatives allegedly connected Mills to the online personality and tried to warn the victim but he refused to believe them, according to police. The family was so upset that they repeatedly contacted Mills, which led to his filing a harassment claim with police — posing as “Hailey,” WXIA reports.
While investigating the claim, police uncovered Mills’ alleged “catfish” scam and discovered that he posed as Hailey’s family member to report the harassment he claimed she was experiencing.
Mills was arrested on charges of identity fraud involving fictitious identifying information, impersonating a public officer, giving a false name to law enforcement and two counts of making false statements in a government matter.
He is accused of giving investigators a false name, “Alex Morello,” before he was taken into custody. Police are still investigating whether Mills had more victims.
“As technology and artificial intelligence continue to evolve, online scams and catfishing schemes can become increasingly sophisticated,” the ACCPD release said. “If you believe you may be a victim of this investigation or any other fraudulent activity, please contact the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and file a report.”
The post Man tricked into engagement with non-existent woman, hands over car and cash to the male ‘catfish’ after falling victim to AI and voice changers: Police first appeared on Law & Crime.