PETALING JAYA: Artificial intelligence is enabling scammers to go beyond creating fake identities in love scams, allowing them to build fake intimacy that makes victims feel understood, cared for and trusted.
Universiti Malaya criminologist Dr Haezreena Begum said AI’s ability to generate faster, personalised and convincing communication allowed scammers to tailor their messages based on a victim’s age, interests, emotions and vulnerabilities.
“AI does not just help scammers create fake identities, but also helps them create fake intimacy.
“That is more concerning because victims feel there is someone who genuinely understands and cares about them,” she said.
Among the early signs of a love scam are relationships becoming overly close within a short period, the individual avoiding physical meetings, inconsistent stories and eventually asking for money, personal information, sensitive images or financial assistance.
Dr Haezreena said people should look at the overall pattern of the relationship rather than focusing on a single suspicious message or action.
“Usually, the pattern is intimacy, trust, emotional dependency, crisis and eventually money.”
She said scammers may initially love bomb victims by showering them with excessive attention, praise and expressions of affection before making them emotionally dependent.
Once trust is established, scammers would typically create a crisis, such as a health emergency, business problem, frozen account or financial difficulty, before asking the victim for money.
Dr Haezreena said people could no longer assume that seeing someone’s face during a video call was definitive proof that the person was genuine or that they were the actual owner of the identity.
She advised people to verify identities through other channels and avoid making any financial transactions until the person’s identity had been confirmed.
Crime analyst and criminologist Datuk Shahul Hamid Abd Rahim said scammers were becoming more adept at studying potential victims through social media before approaching them.
“They will first do research on an intended victim. They can look through their social media and identify their vulnerabilities before using them to deceive the victim.”
He urged people not to give scammers an opportunity by being more mindful of who follows or interacts with them on social media while maintaining privacy over personal information and experiences.
“Regardless of their status, people who are lonely or living alone can also become targets as scammers exploit their emotional needs for attention and companionship.
“That is why it is important not to overshare on social media and to have a sense of privacy,” he added.
Shahul Hamid said AI also allowed scammers to replicate voices, images and identities of others, making impersonation more convincing.
“The most important thing is not to engage. If you receive a suspicious call, message or content, do not continue the conversation. Instead, verify it and lodge a report with the authorities.”
