A new wave of "love" scams online: how not to get caught before 14 February

Romantic scams are called one of the most painful: people are first "hooked" on attention and trust, and then swindled out of money. Before Valentine's Day, when dating apps become more active, experts warn that such schemes have become noticeably more dangerous, including because of artificial intelligence tools.

A recent example is Australia. There, according to the authorities, more than 5,000 people received warnings: their contacts may have been involved in a large scheme linked to foreign groups. In messages, attackers met through popular dating apps, built "relationships" and then persuaded victims to buy fake cryptocurrency or invest in "investments."

How romance scams are usually set up

The scenario is often repeated.

1) Plausible profile. The photo and bio look convincing. Nowadays, snapshots are increasingly either stolen or generated by AI.

2) Fast convergence. The scammer talks too soon about strong feelings, writes constantly, creates a sense of "we're special".

3) Moving communication to messengers. You are persuaded to leave the dating platform for WhatsApp/Telegram/SMS - supposedly "it's more convenient and private". In reality, the platform still has security tools and moderation, while in messenger you are easier to "lead" on and harder to complain about.

4) Money - directly or through "investments". It used to be more common to ask for "for a ticket/treatment/card problems". Now a popular option is "let's invest together", "I'll show you how to make money", often with an emphasis on cryptocurrency and promises of profit. Regulators warn separately about so-called relationship-investment scams.

Why it has become harder to distinguish a real person

AI has made it cheaper to fake: you can quickly take "perfect" photos, generate affectionate correspondence, and even spoof voice/video. A video call used to often be an identity check, but now a brief dipfake call can look believable enough to "remove doubt".

How to defend yourself (short and to the point)

• Put the brakes on the relationship. If you're being rushed, pressured emotionally and demanding immediate decisions, it's a red flag.

• Stay attached longer. An early demand to go to messenger is a red flag.

• Do a background check on the person. Do a reverse photo search, see if he/she has a normal "digital footprint" (multiple social networks, matching details).

• Money/crypto = stop. Any requests for fund transfers, "lucrative investments", "guaranteed income" from someone you don't know personally is a reason to stop contact.

• Don't send intimate photos. Such stories often end in blackmail.

• If you have already transferred money - act immediately. Immediately contact the bank and file an official report to services/bodies that accept complaints about fraud.

Themain rule: romantic scam holds on emotions, so "relying on intuition" is not enough. It is better to check the facts, take your time and end the communication at the first turn towards money.