Has artificial intelligence gotten so advanced that it’s nearly impossible to separate fact from fiction? One South Los Angeles family says yes—and they have the heartbreak to prove it.
Vivian Ruvalcaba says she never realized what her mother, Abigail, was going through until it was too late. “I’m sickened by it because it went this far,” she told 7 On Your Side Investigates. “Why didn’t I know this? Why didn’t I see what was happening? What did I miss?”
What happened was this: Abigail believed she was in a romantic relationship with Steve Burton, the longtime General Hospital star who has played Jason Morgan since 1991. But it wasn’t Burton. It was a scammer, armed with convincing AI deepfakes that mimicked the actor’s voice and likeness.
The family saved one of the videos, which shows a Burton lookalike declaring, “Hello, Abigail. I love you so much, darling. I had to make this video to make you happy, my love.” Experts who reviewed the clip agreed it was likely generated with AI software.
For Abigail, though, there was no question. She thought Burton was in love with her. The scammer moved the conversation from Facebook Messenger to WhatsApp, sending messages like, “I want to live the rest of my life with you,” and “Steve Burton and Abigail Burton sounds like a dream come true.”
Over the months, the fake Burton asked for money—claiming he had lost property in the L.A. fires and promising a new beach house they would share together. Believing she was helping the actor she adored, Abigail sent more than $81,000 in gift cards, cash, and bitcoin, according to a Los Angeles police report.
The financial toll was devastating. Abigail fell into debt, and, in January, she sold her Harbor City condo for $350,000. Vivian only discovered what was happening in time to stop her from wiring an additional $70,000 to the scammer. “She’s ashamed,” Vivian said. “To put that stress on me, on herself, on my dad, the entire family—I know it weighs heavy on her.”
Burton, the real one, says he’s heard this story too many times. “That I know of who have lost money, it’s in the hundreds,” he told Eyewitness News. He regularly warns fans on Instagram: “First of all, I don’t need your money. I would never ask for money.”
Now, Abigail and Vivian are suing to undo the home sale, arguing Abigail lacked the mental capacity to sign such a contract. The buyers’ attorney disagrees, setting up a fight in court.
For the Ruvalcabas, the ordeal is both a personal tragedy and a public warning. They say they’re speaking out to remind people just how persuasive artificial intelligence can be—and how dangerous it is not to know what loved ones are doing online.
