The ChatGPT-generated image that was reported (image 2): a woman rests her cheek on her hand in a short-sleeved white top, long black hair falling. Face and wall print at left are pixelated; a ‘jiwon24.kr’ watermark overlaps the lower part.

‘AI Image’ Reported as
Someone’s “Own Photo”…
Police: “Identical Photo,”
‘Search, Seizure and Inspection Warrant’
Executed in the U.S. via International Cooperation

Investigator’s account Condensed from the phone calls

Image 2, the one that was reported. Only the face and the printed material on the wall are covered; the rest is exactly as ChatGPT made it.

Case record · In progress

Case Record: A Case in Which an AI-Made Image Led to a Report That It Was Someone’s “Own Photo”

Latest update · October 4, 9:55 p.m.The investigator in charge asked by text message for materials related to ChatGPT image generation.View the update →

①July 10, 2026

ChatGPT free version · Request 1

Prompt 1A pretty Korean woman in her 20s Set the aspect ratio to 1:1

Image 1 made by ChatGPT from the first request. An upper-body image of a woman with her hair up and bangs, smiling in front of window blinds, with three photos of city and sea views pinned to the wall. A ‘jiwon24.kr’ watermark is at the bottom. — Image 1 · First result

I asked the free version of ChatGPT, in text, for an image of a person.

Korean original: 20대 한국 예쁜 여성
가로세로 비율을 1:1로 설정해줘

Confirmed fact

②July 10

I felt the first result looked AI-made, so I asked once more.

Confirmed fact

ChatGPT free version · Request 2

Prompt 2A pretty woman in her 20s, natural-looking, not AI-looking. For Instagram/Threads Set the aspect ratio to 1:1

These are the two images I received from two text requests.

Korean original: 20대 예쁜 여성, ai 스럽지 않고 자연스러운 모습. 인스타그램/스레드 용
가로세로 비율을 1:1로 설정해줘

Confirmed fact

③After July 10

Threads sub-account

I used this second result as my profile picture.

I later used image 2 as the profile picture of my Threads sub-account.

Confirmed fact

④Date not confirmed

I do not know who the reporter is.

Confirmed fact

⑤Before the police contact on September 30

Reporter

‘Multiple accounts’

Police station

According to the investigator, the reporter in this case also saw the photo copied onto ‘multiple accounts,’ went to a police station in person, and filed a report.

Investigator’s account

⑥Before the first call · heard on the second call

Investigator’s accountHeard on the second callDate not confirmed

Korea · Police

U.S. · Meta Border

1Search, seizure and inspection warrant
2International cooperation
3Executed in the U.S.
4User information for my account

The investigator explained that a search, seizure and inspection warrant was executed in the United States through international cooperation and that my account’s user information was obtained from Meta.

Investigator’s accountDate not confirmed

⑦September 30

July 10September 3082 days

Call on September 30, 2026, 1 min 20 sec–1 min 40 sec

InvestigatorYes, there's a real person…네 실제 인물이 있는데…

Someone’s “Own Photo” report…Investigator’s accountCondensed from the phone calls

82 days · from generation (July 10) to the first contact (September 30)

Confirmed fact

⑧October 2

The reporter’s photoI have never seen their photo, face, name or contact information

The image I used as my profile picture

Call on October 2, 2026, 3 min 8 sec–3 min 18 sec

InvestigatorYes, identical, I said. I told you the same thing back then too, didn't I.예 동일하다고요. 그때도 똑같이 말씀드렸잖아요.

Police “Identical Photo”Investigator’s accountCondensed from the phone calls

Police “Identical Photo”

Investigator’s account

⑨Hypothesis · not confirmed

Given that the investigator said the two images were identical, there are four cases to consider.

Case 1A look-alike image was judged identical

By what standard was an AI image judged to be the same as a real person’s photo?

Case 2ChatGPT produced a real photo as its result

If generative AI reproduced the photo of a real person, how should that be handled?

Case 3I made it with a reference photo

How should the path by which the AI image was made, and the evidence for it, be verified?

My records: 0 reference photos

Case 4What the reporter submitted as their own photo was my AI image

How should the materials submitted at the report stage be verified?

Which case applies has not been confirmed.

Not confirmed

Vertical card. Title ‘Reported: “It’s my photo”… Police: “identical photo”’ (reporter’s words, then police’s) over a face-mosaicked ‘AI image’. Cases: 1 look-alike judged identical; 2 real photo; 3 reference photo; 4 reporter’s photo was my AI image. — A card setting out the four cases in which a judgment of ‘identical’ could come out. What materials would be needed to rule out each case is explained in the main text.

According to the investigator, this case went from the report being filed through a warrant and international cooperation to obtaining my account’s user information. Where in this procedure was the step that checks whether an image was made by AI?

⑩October 4

Text message · October 4, 9:55 p.m.

Regarding what you told me earlier about generating images with ChatGPT, please send me the related materials

Investigator in charge

October 4, 2026, 9:55 p.m. · The investigator in charge asked by text message for materials related to ChatGPT image generation.

Korean original: 일전에 연락주신대로 챗지피티 이미지 생성하셨다고 했는데 관련 자료 보내주세요

Confirmed fact

Text message · October 5, 4:15 p.m.

I sent the materials you requested about ChatGPT image generation to the email address you gave me at 4:12 p.m. today. Please check them. Thank you.

October 5, 2026, 4:12 p.m. · After sending the requested image-generation materials by email, I let the investigator know by text message.

Korean original: 요청하신 ChatGPT 이미지 생성 관련 자료를 오늘 오후 4시 12분에 알려 주신 이메일로 보내드렸습니다. 확인 부탁드립니다. 감사합니다.

Confirmed fact

⑪Now

Whichever conclusion it turns out to be, a question remains that cannot simply be dropped

The outcome of the investigation is not the end of this record

Where is my personal information stored, and when is it deleted?

RecordWhere it is keptWhen it is deletedWhether I am toldReport intake recordNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedInvestigation recordNot confirmedA statute exists · see belowA statute exists · see belowWarrant request, issuance and execution recordsNot confirmedNot confirmedA statute exists · see belowInternational cooperation request recordNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedMeta's record of the investigative request and what it providedNot confirmedNot confirmedGuidance exists · see belowCopy of the user information handed overNot confirmedNot confirmedA statute exists · see below

Whichever conclusion it turns out to be, a question remains that cannot simply be dropped

Not confirmed