Turkish national in South Korea charged after AI-generated fake injury photos for refund

A Turkish national in his 20s has been forwarded to prosecutors in Changwon, South Korea, on fraud and obstruction-of-business charges after allegedly using ChatGPT to fabricate nail-art injury photos and a forged medical certificate to demand a refund.

The Changwon Jungbu Police Station said the man, identified only as A, was charged after an incident at a nail salon in Seongsan District, Changwon. He is accused of manipulating images to show bleeding and stains at the nail treatment site and then presenting a forged medical note to the salon.

According to the police, the man sought about 400,000 won (roughly $300) in refunds and medical expenses. The salon declined the demand, and the alleged fraud was not completed.

Investigators say the suspect told them the act was intended to cover living expenses. He initially claimed there was a co-conspirator, but base-station analysis led police to conclude there was no accomplice.

Authorities also said that because the manipulated medical certificate was delivered as a digital file, they did not apply charges for falsifying private documents.

The police said they forwarded A to the prosecutor on December 6, and the case was publicly announced as forwarded on December 12. A is staying in Korea on a G-1 refugee visa.

Why this matters beyond Korea: The case illustrates how generative AI tools can be misused to create fake medical and cosmetic-damage evidence for fraud in consumer services. For U.S. readers, it underscores growing risks of AI-assisted fraud in healthcare claims, refunds, and cross-border transactions, and highlights the need for stronger verification, digital-forensics capabilities, and anti-fraud controls in small businesses, insurers, and healthcare-related services as AI tools become more accessible worldwide.