Using AI to polish text may be something you can do, but it’s also being used by cyber criminals to take your money with romance scams.
For all the good that AI can do, there are also plenty of other ways that can make AI get used for nefarious purposes.
Sure, you can make apps and websites seemingly out of nothing more than a mere prompt, or create music from a line of text and images in much the same way, but scammers can also employ artificial intelligence for their purposes, using it against individuals, as well.
That’s what appears to be happening with scammers using AI to make fake profiles designed to be convincing, using this to manipulate others and steal money in the process.
It’s quite a situation, with AI text services such as ChatGPT being used to create better profile text, and AI image services sprucing up photos for dating apps and sites, as well. However, those same services are also being used by criminals for deceptive actions.
The detail comes courtesy of Norton’s 2025 Cyber Safety Insights Report, which notes that the most common type of dating scams include immigration scams, catfishing, providing a fake dating site to steal money, and romance scams that can rack up big losses. Those losses are so bad, Norton notes that the amounts average to just under twelve thousand specifically citing $11,914.
To put it simply, Australians involved in romance and dating scams are losing roughly $12,000, though the amount could also be higher.
“Romance scams remain one of the most common and devastating forms of online fraud and these figures highlight the serious financial and emotional toll of online dating scams,” said Mark Gorrie, Managing Director of Norton in the Asia Pacific region.
“These scams prey on people’s emotions, making it all the more important to stay alert and question anything that feels off,” he said.
“As Australians invest more in their search for love, it’s crucial they take steps to protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated scams. That is why we are committed to educating people on cyber safety vigilance.”
And as Valentine’s Day approaches, you can more or less expect scammers to ramp up their own attacks, so what can you do?
Stay on alert
Like all scams, education is important, but so too is keeping your guard up.
Criminals work best when you fully believe in their cons, but they also aren’t fans of education, so staying aware of exactly what you can do to counter their moves is important.
Read those profiles and messages carefully
That starts with reading profiles and messages carefully. Not so much with spelling or grammatical errors, because AI services will clean that up rather quickly.
However, scammers will typically try to force to you a particular line of thinking quickly, and one that’s almost always about your wallet and handing over money.
Do they need $20 or $200 for something? A bit of help here and there? We’re not telling you not to give money, but if romance over dating apps and websites kicks off and leads into a request for money pretty quickly, there’s a good chance you’re talking to a scammer.
Check those images
You can also check images they’re sending you. Profile images can be generated and difficult to work out if they’re real, but they could also be just as easily stolen from the web, given just how many image sources are out there.
The good news is a little bit of research can help undo this: save the photo or snap a screenshot of it with your phone, and upload it into Google’s image search. It’s like being in your own episode of Catfish on TV, only you’re doing the research, not the host of the show.
An image search will search the web for the image provided, rather than the text of the regular search. Checking the web for similar images could just find the place where a profile has borrowed images from, and may reveal whether the person you’re talking to is legit, or not.
Limit what you share
If you’re not entirely sure whether that person is legit, or even if you’re not sure you want to get trapped or baited, consider limiting what you share in the first place. Essentially, you may want to consider being a little more broad in how you chat to people, at least initially.
You may also want to consider using different usernames or email addresses to make it more difficult for someone to go snooping around other places you might frequent.
Watch those links and don’t click aimlessly
And importantly, be careful about what you click on, especially with regard to links.
Sending you to a phishing site where you can deposit debit or credit card details will likely be a first point of call for many scammers, particularly since it can look legitimate, and yet be anything but.
Remember that scammers can’t fake the actual website domain of another website — the www dot whatever — so they will frequently rely on something nonsensical or a URL that is close enough that you won’t consider questioning it.
It’s worth remembering that if something smells off, it likely is, and you should always question links you’ve been sent, especially when coming from an unknown source, be it over email, SMS, or even someone who says they’re interested in you.
With Australians losing on average around $12,000, being a little suspicious could just save you from being one of those statistics in the end.
