Valentine's Day: Around 40 Per Cent Indians Have Been Scammed While Looking For Love Online

As smartphones and mobile internet have become more and more accessible, in recent years finding love has also changed.

More and more Indians are now using dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge.

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Indians falling victim to dating scams

But as always with technology, there is a dark side and the rapid adoption of dating sites has given potential scammers a goldmine of opportunity.

These days it is not uncommon to read about people losing their life savings to a person whom they met on a dating site or being honey-trapped and extorted by scammers on such platforms.

According to a new study, such scams are rampant in India where 39 per cent of users have said that their conversations with a potential love interest online turned out to be with a scammer.

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The study, titled Modern Love was published by McAfee ahead of Valentine's Day 2024.

Fake profiles, AI photos and bots

It also found that 77 per cent of Indians have come across fake profiles and photos that look AI-generated on dating websites or apps, or on social media, while 26 per cent later learned that they were having conversations with AI-generated bots and not a real person.

¡°The possibilities of AI are endless, and unfortunately, so are the perils. For people who are shy about starting conversations, short on time to craft the perfect message, or whose photos could be brightened, AI offers tools to help enjoy all the fun and excitement that comes with online dating.,¡± Steve Grobman, McAfee¡¯s Chief Technology Officer, said.

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"Unfortunately, we know cybercriminals also use AI to scale malicious activity. With love-seekers spending more time online leading up to Valentine's Day, scammers are using AI to pose as love interests to steal your money or personal information. We encourage people to balance romantic hope with healthy skepticism, to pause before sharing sensitive information online, and to ensure they use the right tools to protect their privacy, identity, and personal information," Grobman added.

Scammers using social media

It is not just dating sites that these scammers have been using to prey on unsuspecting victims.

91 per cent of Indians surveyed for the study said that they, or someone they know, have been contacted by a stranger through social media or text message and started to ¡°chat¡± with them regularly to know them better.

With that in mind, those looking for love are often more vulnerable to scams when connecting with strangers, and cyber criminals use that vulnerability to their advantage by engaging in long and sophisticated attempts to steal from victims.

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How to stay safe dating online

According to McAfee here are some steps to protect yourself from online romance and AI scams.

• Scrutinize any direct messages you receive from a love interest, via a dating app or social media.
• One way to spot a scammer is to watch for consistent, AI-generated messages which are often quite generic or lack substance.
• Be sure not to click on any links in messages you receive from someone you have not met in person.
• Do a reverse-image search of any profile pictures the person uses.
• Never send money or gifts to someone you haven¡¯t met in person, even if they send you money first.
• Talk to someone you trust about this new love interest. It can be easy to miss things that don¡¯t add up when you are feeling hopeful and excited.

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