McAfee has published new research suggesting fake profiles and AI-generated bots are now a common feature of online dating in the UK. One in five people said they have encountered an inauthentic account while looking for a relationship.
The company’s consumer survey also points to a growing role for AI in dating-app and social-platform deception. About one in three UK respondents said they have seen AI-generated or modified photos on dating or social apps.
Financial approaches remain widespread. Two in five respondents said they have been asked for money or financial information via text messages, email, social direct messages, or within dating platforms. The same share reported requests delivered through links or QR codes.
Emotional leverage
The research suggests AI chat tools and automated profiles can create interactions convincing enough to influence behaviour. One in four people said it is possible to develop romantic feelings towards an AI bot. Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 11% said they have personally experienced romantic feelings for an AI chatbot.
The survey also suggests conversations can quickly shift into pressure for money or sensitive data. Romance scams often start with routine chat, then move to requests involving payments, verification codes, QR codes, cryptocurrency, or payment apps.
“Romance scams don’t begin with money. They begin with trust,” said Vonny Gamot, McAfee’s Head of EMEA.
“When one in five Brits say they’ve encountered a fake profile or AI-generated bot, it’s clear these scams aren’t edge cases. Scammers blend into everyday dating and social platforms, take time to build emotional familiarity, and make the relationship feel real before the scam ever starts.”
Who gets targeted
McAfee’s findings suggest reported exposure varies by age and gender. One in 10 people aged 25 to 34 said they encounter potential romance scams at least weekly, compared with one in 20 among those aged 65 and above.
Men also reported higher exposure on one measure, saying they were 60% more likely than women to encounter romance scams at least weekly.
Losses appear to be concentrated among younger adults. Those under 35 were the most likely to report serious financial losses, with nearly one in four saying they lost money. More than one in 10 reported losses of £500 or more.
Overall, 11% of UK respondents said they have lost money to an online dating or romance scam, and nearly one in three scam survivors said they recovered none of their funds.
Links and clones
Alongside the consumer survey, McAfee Labs analysed telemetry on malicious URLs and mobile apps impersonating popular dating platforms. The analysis covered activity recorded between December 1, 2025, and January 22, 2026.
During that period, McAfee blocked hundreds of thousands of romance-related malicious URLs and recorded thousands tied to dating-app-themed content.
It also reported a year-on-year decline in dating-app-themed malicious URLs when comparing the same set of apps across years. McAfee said this could reflect changes in how scammers deliver attacks, including greater use of direct messages, QR codes, and in-platform communication.
McAfee Labs also flagged cloned apps. It found last year that malicious Tinder clones accounted for 55% of detections, and reported that Tinder still represents roughly half of all malicious app activity in the year-on-year comparison. It also recorded tens of thousands of attempts to install malicious mobile apps cloned from services including Tinder, Bumble, and eHarmony.
In a separate measure of fake dating app installations detected during the period, Plenty of Fish accounted for 78% of detections, the highest share in the analysis.
Impact beyond money
The research argues that the harm from romance scams extends beyond financial loss. McAfee said 96% of people who have experienced an online dating scam reported a meaningful impact, including embarrassment, emotional distress, reduced trust in people met online, and more cautious behaviour in digital interactions.
McAfee also noted that many reported losses were relatively small-often under £250-particularly among younger adults. Higher losses also occur and appear to be more common among men and middle-aged adults.
Safety tools
McAfee said its Scam Detector is included with its core plans and is available across 11 geographies. The tool is designed to identify scams delivered via text, email, and social or video messages.
McAfee plans spring updates that include QR code safety checks and an option to upload screenshots of suspicious social messages from platforms such as Instagram DMs, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram for review.
The company advised online daters to be cautious of fast-moving relationships, avoid sending money or cryptocurrency to someone they have not met in person, and be sceptical of requests involving QR codes or verification codes. It also recommended limiting how much personal information is shared early on and using scam protection tools that can flag suspicious messages.
The survey was conducted online in January 2026 and included responses from 7,000 adults across Australia, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UK, and the US.
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