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“Love is blind” takes on a more sinister meaning when so-called artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a tool for exploiting our deepest human emotions. 

Convincing AI technologies are increasingly targeting mature online daters, turning fantasies into lucrative and dangerous criminal enterprises.

Illustration of a romance scam (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

AI is helping criminals create convincing personas

Romance scams have become the most common type of fraud in 2025 and have swindled would-be lovers out of over $1.3 billion in the United States alone. Just last year, the world heard the cautionary tale of a 53-year-old French woman who lost $850,000 to a convincing AI deepfake of Brad Pitt.

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The scammers had wooed her for over 8 months with realistic (yet fake) images, voice calls, videos and even multiple social media accounts. Similarly, a 67-year-old from San Diego was tricked out of her life savings when an AI impostor gang posed as Keanu Reeves, also raising awareness about romance scams impacting the elderly. The worst side of both stories is that the fraudsters haven’t been caught, and the victims’ financial institutions did little to help them recover their funds.

Illustration of a romance scam (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Can you really blame the victims for ‘falling for it’?

AI-powered romance scams have become far more sophisticated than “traditional” scams. Criminals use a variety of AI tools together with advanced tactics to create deeply personalized and remarkably realistic digital identities. Unlike traditional scams relying on generic scripts, these AI-powered approaches can generate nuanced, contextually appropriate conversations that adapt in real time to victims’ emotional state and personal background. In short, romance scams have become so dangerous because they use multiple advanced methods.

• They use your personal data to identify psychological vulnerabilities through conversational analysis. They might know your friends’ names, your job, interests or personal details.
• They deploy targeted emotional manipulation techniques that are unique to each person they target.
• They create dynamic, seemingly personal storylines that incrementally build trust and “remember” details about conversations.

AI-driven romance conversations are increasingly challenging for both victims and traditional anti-fraud mechanisms to detect. Spotting and preventing these scams can be tricky, but privacy experts recommend some tried-and-true ways.

Illustration of a romance scam (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Here’s how you can spot the red flags of a romance scam

Spotting and preventing these sophisticated AI-driven scams can be tricky, but staying informed can help you avoid becoming a victim. By being vigilant, verifying identities and recognizing red flags, you can navigate online dating safely while protecting your finances and personal information. Here are some things to look out for:

• Too much love. They “love-bomb” too early in conversations
• They’re too perfect or too tailored to you in their background, job history or personal details. Fraudsters often present the perfect picture of what you want and avoid disagreeing with you
• They avoid in-person meetings and/or have convincing excuses for why they can’t meet or have a video call
• They lack real reactions. While AI-powered deepfakes are convincing, they still struggle to react naturally to more human interactions: jokes, surprises, exclamations, throat-clearing, coughing, etc.
• Demanding money early, especially for family emergencies, medical events or business ideas. Never send money transfers, gift cards or financial information to someone you have not met in person

Illustration of a romance scam (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What to do if you think it might be a scam

• Ask a friend or family member: Getting an outside perspective can help you see warning signs you might have overlooked
• Report the profile or scammer: Online dating apps and social media have built-in reporting features to warn against fraud. If the account disappears soon after your report, it’s likely that the account was fake. If you think you’re a victim of scamming, go to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) website here and report the scammer. The steps for reporting a scam are pretty straightforward, and the FTC will immediately send out alerts to law enforcement to help with investigating the scammers. You can also contact the Better Business Bureau and file a report with them 24/7
• Contact your bank: If you sent money to the scammer and want to get it back, you should immediately contact your bank or credit/debit card company and report it as fraud. The representatives will then walk you through the steps to get your money reimbursed

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• Contact the gift card company: If you sent a gift card to the scammer, make sure you keep the receipt and report the scam to the gift card company. The representatives there may be able to help you, and it will also help them be aware of scammers using their gift cards for fraud
• Visit IdentityTheft.gov: If you gave out personal information like a Social Security number, follow the steps at IdentityTheft.gov. You’ll be able to make a report there, and the website will help you create a recovery plan and walk you through each step of gaining your identity back
• Use Identity theft protection: If you want a service that will walk you through every step of the reporting and recovery process, one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from this type of fraud is to subscribe to an identity theft service. Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. One of the best parts of identity theft protection services, is that they have identity theft insurance of up to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white-glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft
• Have strong antivirus software on all your devices: This story is also another reminder to always have good antivirus software running on your devices, as romance scams can also entail email and text communications asking the victim to click a link. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson offers his advice to avoid romance scams. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Make it difficult for a romance scammer to target you

Your personal information is a scammer’s best tool. This includes your phone number, email and other contact details that allow them to reach you, as well as information like the celebrities you follow, your family members and even the type of content you engage with online to tailor the perfect attack. As scams become more sophisticated and reliant on loads of data, it’s more important than ever to take proactive measures to safeguard your personal information.

1. Vigilance in online dating: In the digital world, not everyone is who they claim to be. Be wary of potential romantic interests who ask for money or gifts or those who want to move the relationship along too quickly. Keep your personal and financial information private and never share it with someone you haven’t met in person.

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2. Verify the identity: Request additional information or proof to verify their identity, such as video chatting or meeting in person if possible. Exercise caution before getting emotionally invested in someone you haven’t met in real life.

3. Research and verify: Conduct an online search using the person’s name, email address or phone number to see if any suspicious or fraudulent activities are associated with them. Reverse image search their profile pictures to check if they are stolen from elsewhere on the internet. You can also reverse-search their phone number for free by following the instructions found here.

4. Privacy settings: Keep your social media profiles private so only those you trust can see what’s going on in your life.

5. Limit sharing: Adjust the privacy settings on all of your online accounts and apps to limit data collection and sharing.

6. Use reputable dating platforms: Stick to well-known and reputable dating websites or apps with security measures to help protect their users from scams. These platforms often have guidelines for safe online dating and report suspicious users.

7. Invest in personal information removal services: I highly recommend you remove your personal information that can be found on various people search sites across the web. If you give someone your email address or phone number, they could potentially reverse-search your information and get your home address. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

Kurt’s key takeaways

AI-powered romance scams have become a serious threat, exploiting our deepest emotions for financial gain. As you navigate the digital dating landscape, it’s crucial to stay vigilant and protect yourself from these sophisticated schemes. Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Trust your instincts, take things slow and always prioritize your safety and financial well-being.

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How has the rise of AI-powered romance scams changed your approach to online dating or your views on digital relationships? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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