Web Desk
Romance scams are evolving fast, thanks to artificial intelligence. Criminals are now using AI to build fake relationships and steal millions from people looking for love, a new report reveals.
The study, released by the Alan Turing Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), shows how AI is making it easier and faster for fraudsters to trick victims.
“AI is helping criminals expand old scams with new tools,” said Simon Moseley, lead author and visiting fellow at CETaS. “In recent cases, victims have lost millions. These scams leave not just financial but emotional scars.”
According to the research, AI is being used to create fake dating profiles, deepfake videos, and even realistic audio messages.
Scammers now use AI-powered chat tools to hold long conversations, making them seem more human.
AI also helps them speak to victims in different languages, widening their reach globally.
Large language models (LLMs) are even writing more believable scripts for scammers, improving their manipulation tactics.
While human oversight is still needed to guide and edit AI output, the effort required to run scams has dropped sharply.
The paper also warned that existing defences aren’t evolving quickly enough to keep up. “Scam tactics are moving faster than the tools used to stop them,” the report says.
Still, researchers see a silver lining. The same AI tools that power scams could also be used to detect them.
LLMs could someday flag suspicious messages or profiles before victims fall for them.
But for now, the warning is clear: romance scams are becoming smarter, faster, and more damaging.
“Strong detection tools and new safety measures are urgently needed,” Moseley said.
