AI 'Dream Woman' With 300,000 Followers Draws a Lonely Bricklayer Into a 2,000-Kilometre Journey to Nowhere

A lonely Brazilian bricklayer sold everything he owned and travelled more than 2,000 kilometres (1242.7 miles) to Belo Horizonte last week to meet a woman with 300,000 followers, only to find 'Jéssica' was an artificial intelligence (AI) fake. The case follows two similar journeys reported in the same city.

Edimar Rocha Martins, 49, left Imperatriz in Maranhão state on Friday, 9 October and reached Belo Horizonte two days later, after around 36 hours on a bus. He had sold his belongings to fund the trip. Rádio Itatiaia reported that journalists had to explain that the woman was not real.

Martins said his mother's death had left him struggling and lonely at home. He first saw the account in 2020 and came to believe 'Jéssica', also posted as Jéssica Fazendeira, wanted him to join her on a farm where he would never work again.

A 36-Hour Journey to Nowhere

The TikTok profile had gathered more than 300,000 followers with polished videos of rural life and promises of comfort. One clip promised viewers a life on the farm without having to work again. Martins believed the invitation was meant for him.

When he arrived and started showing people her photo, nobody recognised her. Belo Horizonte's municipal migrant service gave him food, a shower, and a bus ticket to Tocantins. He chose to head for Tocantins rather than return to Imperatriz straight away.

The Third Man Lured to One City

Rádio Itatiaia reported that Martins was not alone. According to the outlet, his was the third such case in Belo Horizonte in under six months, after two older men made near-identical journeys believing a woman they had seen online wanted them on her farm.

A single sad trip is an oddity. Three in half a year, all drawn to one city by similar promises of life with a farm girlfriend, suggest a recurring format that could turn loneliness into clicks and cash.

Who Built 'Jéssica', and Why

The person behind the account later admitted the character was AI and said the profile was built to drive product sales. They denied ever messaging Martins privately or inviting him to the city. The 'Jéssica Fazendeira' profile was then taken offline.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) logged the case in its AI Incidents Monitor on 12 October, classifying it as a realised harm with economic and psychological damage to a consumer.

How To Spot an AI Romance Scam

For US readers, the warning travels. Imposter scams were the most reported fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the ninth year running, with $3.5 billion (£2.6 billion) lost in 2025. The FTC also reported romance-scam losses of about $1.48 billion (£1.11 billion) in 2025, with an average reported loss of around $2,020 (£1515.82). Nearly 60% of reported romance-scam losses in 2025 started on social media, the FTC found.

The tell is rarely the face now, because AI video can fake a whole person. It is the ask. Watch for a new online love who promises to support you, pushes you to travel or send money, and always has a reason you cannot meet. Verify independently before you spend a cent. Such scams can exploit people who feel unseen, as Martins' experience shows.