Romance scams are a clear example of emotional manipulation. This is where a perpetrator exploits a victim’s feelings of loneliness, or desire and the need for a connection to build trust.Scammers are increasingly using AI tools in romance scams, making it even harder to detect and even more dangerous for those that become victims. Experian predicts that AI-powered romance scams will be among the top fraud threats in 2026.
How the romance scam works
As reported by McAfee they describe, in a recent report on romance scams, this type of fraud is a long con. A romance scam typically starts Direct Message, a wrong number call, or a text. Once the scammer gets a response, they’ll move into an attempt to quickly build intimacy and trust while encouraging you to keep the relationship a secret. Over time they build credibility around their fake persona, which likely includes a job or lifestyle that prevents them from meeting you.
Next comes the ploy to get you to help with a request for minor financial support, which then can escalate into opening an account, investing in a business venture, or co-signing a loan.
Increasingly, these schemes involve fraudulent investments in cryptocurrency. (Another term for this is “pig butchering.”) And once they’ve received their ill-gotten-gain, they disappear, leaving you to deal with the consequences.
AI is making romance scams worse
AI is making romance scams even easier for fraudsters to pull off.
AI removes these “long game”barriers. Large language models (like ChatGPT) are capable of maintaining natural conversations without setting off the red flags that a typical scam would present such as poor grammar and misspellings.
AI can can have personality, it can reflect emotion, and it’s less likely than a human to come off as pressured or rushed. Chatbots can retain and integrate personal details from earlier conversations, and it requires very little effort to to impact a very large number of victims.
Automated chatbots can easily handle the early stages of a romance scam. Its victims are only required to step in at critical moments to initiate a financial request. Because scammers can maintain many conversations at once, they can also test out different tactics and quickly refine them based on what works best to keep victims engaged. As the Global Cyber Alliance puts it, AI adds “speed, scale, and consistency” to the traditional romance scam.
ith them as a red flag.
How to catch a romance scam
According to McAfee, the most common clues that you’re interacting with a bot or fake profile include scripted or repetitive responses, instant and perfectly crafted replies, and photos that are appear to be generated by AI. Other red flags include a contact who avoids voice and video calls as well as unusual requests early in the relationship.
To avoid getting wrapped up in an AI-powered romance scam, slow down. Be wary of perfectly crafted responses, which may indicate automation. Try asking unexpected questions or creating friction, which can throw a chatbot off. Remember that relationships shouldn’t rely on secrecy or be contingent on financial support. Social media and dating sites are full of fake profiles, so seeing is not always believing.
