AI Bots & Scams: McAfee Warns of Surge in Romance Fraud Ahead of Valentine's Day

• McAfee's annual Valentine's Day research reveals a surge in romance scams using fake profiles, AI-driven chats, and financial manipulation on dating platforms.
• 75% of Indians encountered fake profiles/AI-generated photos; 46% realized they interacted with bots/fake profiles, and 33% were catfishing victims.
• Scams are evolving into organized, multi-layered operations, often leading victims to bogus trading platforms, fabricated emergencies, or sextortion.
• One in seven Indians lost money to romance scams, averaging ₹2.81 lakh; younger adults (25-34) are most affected by financial losses.
• McAfee Labs blocked hundreds of thousands of romance-related malicious URLs and detected thousands of fake dating app installations, with Plenty of Fish (POF) accounting for 78% of fake app installs.