Ioan Gruffudd warns of ‘distressing’ scams using ‘explicit’ AI content of him
He has urged his followers not to engage with people impersonating him online or send them money.
Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd has warned fans about “distressing” scams involving “explicit and disturbing” AI-generated images and videos of his likeness.
The 53-year-old, known for playing Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four film series, has urged his followers not to engage with people impersonating him online or send them money.
Writing on Instagram, Gruffudd said: “Something incredibly distressing and disturbing has been brought to my attention.
“A woman came to a convention I was recently attending and she was under the impression that she was in an extramarital relationship with me for over a year.
“She showed me hundreds of AI images and videos that someone claiming to be me had sent to her. The images were explicit and disturbing.”
The actor, from Aberdare, said the woman had been targeted through a Facebook page dedicated to crime drama Elsbeth, in which he featured as charming musician Angus.
He said the page had “sent her a cell number and asked her to communicate via Telegram”, an instant messaging app.
“They began sending AI images and videos to ‘prove’ that it was me,” Gruffudd continued.
“If you believe you are speaking to me via message, Telegram, any social media pages that aren’t this page (@IoanGruffudd), or any other means, this is not me.
“I will never give out my cell number to anyone that I don’t personally know.
“Please do not engage and never send money! I urge you to ignore and block all contact from anyone that claims to be me.
“Lastly, if you have been targeted by this person, please report them and their number to the police for investigation. I have done the same.”
Gruffudd also included the mobile phone number of the person imitating his likeness.
Other celebrities who have spoken out about the misuse of AI technology include Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Tom Jones and Martin Lewis.
Gruffudd married actress Bianca Wallace in April 2025, and the couple welcomed their first child together in November that year.
He has two daughters from a previous marriage to actress Alice Evans, whom he met on the set of 2000 film 102 Dalmatians.
The couple married in 2007, but Gruffudd filed for divorce in March 2021.
Gruffudd has credits in films including Black Hawk Down (2001), Titanic (1997), Horrible Bosses (2011) and San Andreas (2015).
He has also starred in ITV thriller Liar as Andrew Earlham and played a forensic pathologist in ABC drama Harrow.