AI Chatbots and Deepfakes Used in Romance Scams
Fraudsters are using AI chatbots and deepfake technology to create convincing fake identities for romance scams. UK authorities reported over 9,000 romance scams in 2024 stealing £99.4 million, with global figures showing $46 million in losses and a 400% surge in such scams in India.
What happened
Fraudsters are exploiting AI chatbots and deepfake technology to create convincing fake identities for romance scams. According to Action Fraud, 9,096 romance scams were reported in the UK in 2024, up 6% from the previous year.
Over 13 months through February 2025, there were 9,758 reports of romance scams in the UK. Scammers deploy AI-generated messages and stolen photographs to build trust with victims before requesting money for purported emergencies, gift clearance, or cryptocurrency investments.
Reported impact
Collectively, £99.4 million was stolen through romance scams in the UK in 2024, representing a 13% increase from the previous year. Over the 13-month period ending February 2025, reported theft reached £105.8 million.
Researchers at Tenable warned of a 400% increase in romance-related spam and email scams in India, with 39% of people's online love interests turning out to be scammers. A majority of women (78%) reported encountering fake profiles on matrimonial websites.
Index analysis
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute noted that AI technology is enabling fraudsters to refine their tactics and create more convincing deceptions with minimal effort. Generative AI helps scammers craft sophisticated, emotionally compelling messages that make their scams more believable and harder to detect, particularly when they do not speak fluent English.
Governance controls
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute and the National Trading Standards Scams Team issued public warnings urging people to be vigilant against AI-powered romance scams and to question online relationships that rapidly escalate into requests for money.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.