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A new study by McAfee India has revealed that 61% of Indians believe people can develop romantic feelings for AI chatbots, raising concerns over the rise of AI-driven romance scams. The study highlights growing trust issues in online dating due to deepfake technology, fake profiles, and chatbot interactions.
AI Chatbots and Online Deception
According to the study, 51% of Indians reported encountering AI chatbots posing as real individuals on dating platforms or social media. Additionally, 38% fear that forming emotional bonds with AI makes individuals more vulnerable to scams.
Trust in online dating is further eroded by scams involving deepfake audio, video, imagery, and fraudulent text and email messages, with 84% of respondents admitting these tactics have impacted their confidence in potential matches.
Social Media Dominates Digital Dating Scene
Social media is the most preferred way for Indians to meet potential partners (96%), surpassing dating websites (91%) and messaging apps (84%). Instagram (85%) leads as the most popular platform, followed by WhatsApp (55%), Snapchat (46%), and Telegram (50%). Among dating apps, Tinder (61%) is the top choice, with Facebook Dating (36%) and Bumble (33%) trailing behind.
Celebrity Impersonation Scams on the Rise
The study also reveals that 42% of respondents or someone they know have been targeted by scammers impersonating celebrities or public figures. These fraudsters build trust by engaging victims through fan interactions before orchestrating financial or personal data theft. Of those deceived, 47% faced financial loss, 48% had their personal information compromised, and 56% suffered emotional distress.
Fake Profiles and Financial Losses
A staggering 69% of Indians report encountering fake or AI-generated profiles on dating sites and social media. Additionally, 34% have interacted with scammers posing as romantic prospects, and 28% later discovered their supposed love interest was an AI chatbot.
Financial losses are another major concern, with 70% of respondents having lost money, valuables, or been pressured to send gifts. Victims were scammed out of an average of ₹364,939, with 32% unable to recover their losses. Social media remains the most common platform for financial fraud (42%), followed by dating apps (19%) and text or email scams (19%).
Staying Safe While Looking for Love Online
McAfee urges online daters to take precautions against romance scams by:
- Being cautious of too-good-to-be-true matches who avoid video calls or rush into declarations of love.
- Verifying identities through reverse image searches and social media checks.
- Protecting personal information from scammers who may use small details for identity theft.
- Never sending money or gifts to online connections.
- Using online protection tools like McAfee Scam Protection and Deepfake Detector to identify fraudulent messages and AI-generated deception.
With the growing risks of AI-driven scams, online daters are advised to stay vigilant and safeguard their digital interactions.
