Exclusive research provided to Bloomberg has revealed that fake dating profiles are being created by scammers on sites, using large language model tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
This, Bloomberg reports, is the latest tactic in the ever evolving world of pig butchering schemes, where fraudsters manipulate victims into sending them cryptocurrency under false pretenses… and it’s working.
Satnam Narang, a senior staff engineer at cyber firm Tenable shared with Bloomberg a Bumble profile he had found, for an attractive 36-year-old brunette woman named “Megan”.
After running the photo through a AI-detection website, he found that Megan was likely fake.
Since anyone can run a simple search to find duplicates of an image online, using an AI-generated picture helps scammers avoid skepticism from romance seekers who exercise some degree of due diligence, he said.
Once a victim is lured, scammers quickly move to WhatsApp, Telegram or SMS messages to cultivate a personal relationship with their victim using sophisticated tactics to gain trust.
A series of different fake investment schemes, such bogus cryptocurrency websites and apps, are used by Fraudsters to swindle victims out of as much money as possible.
Bloomberg reported that according to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2022, romance scam victims in the US reported $1.3 billion in losses
Reddit and other social media websites also include instructional materials demonstrating ways to use LLMs to make fake dating profiles seem more credible.
These types of romance scams often peak around Valentine’s Day.
Narang said that while the use of AI in romance scams is not yet widespread, more groups are likely to adopt the technology to make their scams more realistic.
Scammers may also take advantage of large-language models, like ChatGPT, to bolster the content of their profiles, making them seem more relatable and likable, he said.
Bloomberg confirms that a series of arrests of romance scammers over the last few weeks have been made by authorities in Indonesia, Thailand and Canada, which demonstrates an international effort to crack down on these criminals.
Dating platforms themselves may also be trying to remove profiles, especially if they have been flagged by victims, Narang said.
