AI-powered chatbots reportedly used in romance scams against NZ dating app users
A Norton cybersecurity report found nearly one in three New Zealand dating app users had been targeted by scams, with some perpetrators reportedly using AI chatbots to conduct fraudulent romance conversations. A private investigator noted that young adults conditioned to online life are increasingly vulnerable to such schemes.
What happened
Grifters are reportedly using artificial intelligence to conduct fraudulent romantic conversations on dating apps, according to a Norton cybersecurity report.
The 2025 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report surveyed 1,008 adults and found 50% of dating app users believed they had conversations with someone whose messages were written by AI.
Reported impact
Nearly one in three New Zealand dating app users had been scam targets, according to the Norton report.
A private investigator reported that young adults, particularly those under 35, were increasingly susceptible to romance and catfishing scams, with some men reporting they had been in virtual relationships for years without meeting the person in person.
Index analysis
The Norton report found romance scams to be the most prevalent type of scam, followed by catfishing, fake dating sites, visa or immigration scams, and sugar daddy or sugar baby scams.
Mark Gorrie, Norton's Asia-Pacific managing director, stated there were about seven scam attempts per capita in New Zealand last year, totalling approximately 35 million attempts.
Governance controls
Christchurch-based dating app Amor attempted to make life harder for scammers through design choices and by behaving more like a traditional matchmaking service.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.