Steve Burton Trending Worldwide: Inside the Buzz Around the Soap Star’s Next Move

Soap-opera icon Steve Burton is again dominating headlines—this time at the center of a chilling AI romance-scam that cost a California woman her condo and more than $80,000. Fans learned of the hoax when ABC7 Los Angeles aired an investigation revealing that scammers used deepfake video and voice-cloning tools to impersonate the “General Hospital” star, convincing 55-year-old Abigail R. that the Emmy-winner wanted to build a life with her. The fraudster persuaded her to send cash, gift cards and bitcoin, then pushed her to sell her Harbor City home for $350,000 in hopes of forwarding another $70,000 before family members intervened. Burton—known to millions as Jason Morgan since 1991—told reporters he has logged “hundreds” of similar complaints from duped admirers, stressing, “I would never ask a fan for money”. The 54-year-old actor added that phony profiles routinely harvest comments on his verified Instagram to lure targets into private chats. HOW THE DEEPFAKE WORKED • AI software cloned Burton’s likeness and voice, producing personalized videos that greeted Abigail by name and professed love. • The impostor migrated the conversation from Facebook Messenger to WhatsApp, where encryption hid the money trail. • Emotional manipulation escalated: the scammer claimed wildfire losses and dangled a shared “beach house” dream to justify urgent cash requests. WHY STEVE BURTON IS A PRIME TARGET Burton’s return to “General Hospital” last year, a devoted fan base, and heavy social-media engagement make him attractive to fraud rings seeking recognizable but approachable celebrities. Trending search queries for “Steve Burton deepfake” and “Steve Burton scam” have spiked more than 900 percent this week as viewers scramble for details. EXPERT TIPS TO STAY SAFE • Verify blue-check accounts: Burton’s only official handles are @1SteveBurton on X/Twitter and @steveburton on Instagram. • Never move to private messaging apps or pay with gift cards, crypto or wire transfers. • Use reverse-image and voice-analysis tools when suspicious videos surface. • Report fake profiles to the platform and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). WHAT’S NEXT The family has filed suit to unwind the condo sale, arguing Abigail lacked capacity during the transaction. Legal analysts say the case could set precedent for victims manipulated by synthetic media. Meanwhile, Burton plans a PSA campaign urging soap fans to “trust but verify” before opening their hearts—or wallets—online. Bottom line: if “Steve Burton” slides into your DMs asking for cash, hit block, not buy.