AI-Powered Scams Escalate on Dating Apps, Ex-Conman Warns

Online dating platforms are increasingly becoming targets for sophisticated scams, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence that create highly convincing deepfakes and AI-generated conversation scripts. Alex Wood, a former prolific scammer who now advises on anti-fraud efforts, warns that even video calls are no longer a reliable method for verifying a person's identity.

AI tools can now generate realistic audio and video in real-time, making it nearly impossible to detect fraudulent impersonations. "Fraud is constantly evolving, but the ingredients are always the same," Wood told the Daily Mail. "You have the lie and the loss; the only thing that changes is the way that the lies are deployed, how that false representation is made. Now, as tech develops, we're seeing that being made autonomously by AI bots."

These advanced AI capabilities are being employed in romance scams, where fraudsters create fake relationships to extort money or personal information. While dating apps have traditionally been a target for such schemes, AI has supercharged these efforts. Scammers are using large-language models to generate persuasive scripts, and deepfake technology allows them to create entirely new, untraceable identities using fabricated images, audio, and video.

"Dating apps are still endorsing having a video call as if that's the safe measure by which to verify your love interest, but actually it's profoundly unsafe," Wood stated. "A deepfake can be created in a matter of minutes and is very convincing, so we can't trust any form of digital presence."

Research from SquareTrade indicates that nearly half of Britons find AI scams harder to spot, with 15 percent having already encountered a deepfake scam. While dating apps are used by millions, they have become a fertile ground for fraudsters, even targeting younger, tech-savvy individuals who may underestimate the threat.

To combat these evolving threats, Wood suggests several red flags for users to be aware of. A primary concern is any pressure to move the conversation off the dating app, as this bypasses the platform's built-in security measures. Additionally, individuals who are consistently available to chat at all hours, potentially due to being part of large, organized scam centers, should raise suspicion.

As a potential defense against deepfakes during video calls, Wood advises asking the person to hold up three fingers in front of their face, as this can disrupt current deepfake technology. However, he stresses that this is not foolproof.

Ultimately, Wood's most stark advice is to exercise extreme caution, particularly regarding any requests for money. "Never trust anyone if it relates to a request for payment," he emphasized.

He also called for dating platforms to implement stronger verification processes, such as ad hoc live checks and biometric duplicate detection, to prevent fraudulent accounts. The exploitation of AI in scams is a growing concern, with criminal networks operating sophisticated "scam centers" that can provide round-the-clock engagement with potential victims.