Romance fraud
On August 27, CCTV News reported a disturbing new trend: AI-powered dating scams specifically targeting middle-aged and older women. Scammers are using AI to fabricate so-called “perfect matches” to swindle money from unsuspecting victims.
According to the victim, a woman surnamed Bian, she stumbled upon a matchmaking agency on a video platform. After expressing interest, someone with the username “Director Wang from the Matchmaking Center” sent her a profile for a man nicknamed “Brother Li,” complete with detailed personal info and a photo.
The profile painted a rosy picture: “Brother Li” was 67, had a refined appearance, a yearly income of 6 million yuan, multiple properties in Hangzhou and Shanghai, no parents, no kids—and plenty of wholesome hobbies to boot.
“Director Wang” promised to play matchmaker, assuring Bian that once she paid up, she’d get the man’s contact info.
Bian paid a 2,000-yuan matchmaking fee and signed a commitment letter with the agency. The contract was between Bian and a company called Sichuan Wanhe Xitang Marriage Services Co., Ltd., which clearly stated they were obligated to “recommend matches per the client’s requirements” and “arrange meetings or exchange contact information.”
After the money changed hands, “Director Wang” handed over “Brother Li’s” phone number. But “Brother Li” was impossible to reach. Before long, “Director Wang” went silent too. That’s when Bian realized she might have been scammed. She filed a police report, hoping to get her money back.
Police dug into the case and discovered that “Sichuan Wanhe Xitang Marriage Services Co., Ltd.” didn’t actually exist. However, they did find a strikingly similar company on site. That company ran matchmaking services, but there were no matchmakers or clients—just salespeople, video editors, and streamers. On the editors’ computers, police found AI-generated images identical to the male profiles shown to victims.
Police got in touch with the company’s boss, a man surnamed Wang. On the phone, Wang claimed the company’s actual registered name was Sichuan Wanhe Xitang Matchmaking Service Co., Ltd.—the same entity as the one in the contract, just with a slightly different wording. He then refunded Bian’s money.
But the investigation didn’t stop there. Police uncovered evidence pointing to a larger criminal network behind the company. After gathering solid proof, they arrested Wang and 27 other suspects. At the scene of the arrests, the crew was still live-streaming with AI-generated male personas, armed with scripts and “pressure tactics” designed to close deals. Every aspect of the live streams—from the AI persona’s backstory to the scripted interactions—was meticulously crafted.
Investigations revealed that in less than a year, this gang defrauded victims of over 1 million yuan, with around 50 people suffering financial losses. All 28 suspects, including Wang, have been placed under criminal coercive measures by police.
According to Tianyancha APP, Sichuan Wanhe Xitang Matchmaking Service Co., Ltd. was registered on February 9, 2026, with a registered capital of 1 million yuan. The legal representative and actual controller is Hu Xianlong, and the company’s primary business is matchmaking services. On July 29 of this year, the company was flagged as having abnormal operations because it couldn’t be reached at its registered address or place of business, as determined by the Chengdu High-Tech Zone Market Supervision Administration.
Cases of AI-powered romance scams have been popping up more frequently in recent years.
Back in June, the Zhifu Branch of the Yantai Public Security Bureau cracked a similar romance scam. In that case, a woman surnamed Wang met a man on social media who claimed to be the boss of a medical device company. Through their chats, Wang learned he was a divorced single dad who took his kid to visit the grandparents on weekends and shared plenty of photos of their daily life. Wang herself was a single mom, and looking at those photos, she thought, “This dad seems pretty reliable.”
When Wang suggested a video call, the man refused, offering a very “tragic” excuse that only made her sympathize with him even more.
Later, the man mentioned a lucrative side hustle: flipping concert tickets. Buy low, sell high, and the profits go straight to the account. He never touched the money himself, which completely disarmed Wang’s defenses. She ended up mailing 850 grams of gold to what she thought was a “third-party platform” for investment. Fortunately, police caught on in time and intercepted the gold, worth over one million yuan.
Police confirmed that those “everyday life” photos were all generated with AI tools. Fake photos, refusing to video chat, and using sob stories to tug at heartstrings—these three red flags are like alarm bells. But at the time, Wang didn’t notice a single one.
With AI romance scams popping up all over the internet, what should platforms do to fulfill their responsibilities? Experts suggest that platforms need to step up detection and early warning systems for high-risk scenarios, establishing a tiered risk-response mechanism. If a live stream or short video shows signs of being AI-generated while also exhibiting dating-app-style engagement tactics—like luring users off-platform or demanding service fees—platforms shouldn’t just slap a content label on it. They should take escalating measures and report suspected fraud leads to authorities like police and cyberspace regulators.
For everyday users, building strong risk awareness is crucial. When faced with content that might be AI-generated, you can also use tech tools to verify its authenticity.
