More than 39 per cent of Indians in the survey said their conversations with a potential love interest online turned out to be with a fraudster. Around 26 per cent of the people said they’d talked with a potential love interest but later discovered that it was an AI-generated bot 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 them enjoy all the fun and excitement that comes with online dating. 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,” said Steve Grobman, McAfee’s Chief Technology Officer.
Here are some valuable tips to remember when interacting with people on dating apps and also be wary of Valentine’s day-related festive discounts online:
1) Exercise caution while chatting on dating apps or social media: If you receive any messages from a person you have never met, look for tell-tale signs of AI-generated poems or praise talking about your beauty. Usually, gen AI bots come up with generic messages with plain rhyming words lacking emotions.
Yes, gen AI bots are witty with words, but not much evolved yet to deliver an emotional message.
Here’s one poem from a gen AI bot–
‘Eyes like starlight, smile like sunrise,
Touch a light feather, voice a sweet prize.
Challenge and laughter, hand in hand,
Soulmate potential, in this promised land.
Open your heart, let love’s whisper guide,
This Valentine’s Day, with hope by your side.’
