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What is the story about?
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, the promise of roses, romance and right swipes is everywhere. But according to new research from McAfee, the modern love story is increasingly colliding with something far less poetic: fake profiles, AI-driven chats and financial scams.
In its annual Valentine’s Day research released on February 13, 2026, McAfee reports that online dating platforms and social media spaces are being exploited through fake accounts, AI-assisted conversations, QR code scams and financial manipulation. What often begins as small talk can, the company warns, escalate into requests for money, cryptocurrency, verification codes or even sextortion.
According to McAfee’s findings, 75% of Indians say they have encountered fake profiles or photos that appeared AI-generated on dating websites, apps or social media. Nearly half (46%) say they later realised they were interacting with an AI-generated bot or someone using a fake profile, while 33% report being victims of catfishing. The research also found that 60% of Indians have received an 'exclusive' or 'invite-only' dating app invitation that later turned out to be fake. Of those, 29% signed up and shared personal or payment information.
Also Read: Love makes the world go round but in India it's getting more down-to-earth
Exposure to scams appears especially frequent among younger users. Among adults aged 18–24, 34% say they encounter potential romance scams weekly. The 25–34 age group emerges as the epicentre of scam exposure, with nearly half (48%) encountering scams at least weekly, including 10% who report exposure more than once a day, 16% daily and 22% weekly.
According to McAfee, romance scams in India have evolved into organised, multi-layered operations that combine emotional manipulation with financial fraud. Scammers use fake or AI-generated profiles on dating and matrimonial platforms to build trust, often presenting themselves as caring individuals, potential partners or people connected to charitable causes.
Once trust is established, victims may be steered towards bogus stock trading or cryptocurrency platforms, pressured to send money for fabricated emergencies, or trapped through sextortion involving intimate content. In some instances, fake profiles lure victims to physical venues such as bars or cafes, where they are coerced into paying heavily-inflated bills.
McAfee reports that one in seven Indians lost money to an online dating or romance scam, with an average reported loss of ₹2.81 lakh. Younger adults are more likely to report financial losses, with one in three people aged 25–34 and nearly one in four aged 18–24 saying they have lost some money. While many losses are under ₹45,000, McAfee notes that higher amounts, including over ₹90,000, have also been reported. More than half of Indians (75%) say they have been asked to send money or share financial information by someone they met through online dating or social platforms.
Also Read: 'We need to talk' in the digital age: Young Indian couples are turning to therapy before breaking point
The emotional dimension is also notable. McAfee’s research found that nearly 52% of respondents say it is possible to develop romantic feelings towards an AI bot, and close to 19% say they have personally experienced romantic feelings for an AI chatbot. The survey also found that 34% of adults have sought love advice from AI.
Beyond survey responses, McAfee Labs analysed URL and mobile app telemetry between December 1, 2025, and January 22, 2026, and reports blocking hundreds of thousands of romance-related malicious URLs, including thousands specifically tied to dating-app-themed content.
In last year’s analysis, malicious Tinder clones accounted for 55% of detections; this year, when comparing the same set of apps year over year, Tinder still represents roughly half of all malicious app activity, according to McAfee. The company also reported tens of thousands of attempts to install malicious mobile apps cloned from popular dating platforms such as Tinder and Bumble. Between December 1, 2025, and January 22, 2026, Plenty of Fish (POF) accounted for 78% of all detected fake dating-app installations, the highest share of any platform in this year’s analysis.
The consumer 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, according to McAfee. McAfee Labs’ findings are based on telemetry examining dating-themed URLs and Android mobile apps masquerading as popular dating platforms, comparing trends year over year to identify shifts in scammer behaviour.
Also Read: Planning a surprise trip is the most 'sexy' thing you can do this Valentine’s Day
In its annual Valentine’s Day research released on February 13, 2026, McAfee reports that online dating platforms and social media spaces are being exploited through fake accounts, AI-assisted conversations, QR code scams and financial manipulation. What often begins as small talk can, the company warns, escalate into requests for money, cryptocurrency, verification codes or even sextortion.
According to McAfee’s findings, 75% of Indians say they have encountered fake profiles or photos that appeared AI-generated on dating websites, apps or social media. Nearly half (46%) say they later realised they were interacting with an AI-generated bot or someone using a fake profile, while 33% report being victims of catfishing. The research also found that 60% of Indians have received an 'exclusive' or 'invite-only' dating app invitation that later turned out to be fake. Of those, 29% signed up and shared personal or payment information.
Also Read: Love makes the world go round but in India it's getting more down-to-earth
Exposure to scams appears especially frequent among younger users. Among adults aged 18–24, 34% say they encounter potential romance scams weekly. The 25–34 age group emerges as the epicentre of scam exposure, with nearly half (48%) encountering scams at least weekly, including 10% who report exposure more than once a day, 16% daily and 22% weekly.
According to McAfee, romance scams in India have evolved into organised, multi-layered operations that combine emotional manipulation with financial fraud. Scammers use fake or AI-generated profiles on dating and matrimonial platforms to build trust, often presenting themselves as caring individuals, potential partners or people connected to charitable causes.
Once trust is established, victims may be steered towards bogus stock trading or cryptocurrency platforms, pressured to send money for fabricated emergencies, or trapped through sextortion involving intimate content. In some instances, fake profiles lure victims to physical venues such as bars or cafes, where they are coerced into paying heavily-inflated bills.
McAfee reports that one in seven Indians lost money to an online dating or romance scam, with an average reported loss of ₹2.81 lakh. Younger adults are more likely to report financial losses, with one in three people aged 25–34 and nearly one in four aged 18–24 saying they have lost some money. While many losses are under ₹45,000, McAfee notes that higher amounts, including over ₹90,000, have also been reported. More than half of Indians (75%) say they have been asked to send money or share financial information by someone they met through online dating or social platforms.
Also Read: 'We need to talk' in the digital age: Young Indian couples are turning to therapy before breaking point
The emotional dimension is also notable. McAfee’s research found that nearly 52% of respondents say it is possible to develop romantic feelings towards an AI bot, and close to 19% say they have personally experienced romantic feelings for an AI chatbot. The survey also found that 34% of adults have sought love advice from AI.
Beyond survey responses, McAfee Labs analysed URL and mobile app telemetry between December 1, 2025, and January 22, 2026, and reports blocking hundreds of thousands of romance-related malicious URLs, including thousands specifically tied to dating-app-themed content.
In last year’s analysis, malicious Tinder clones accounted for 55% of detections; this year, when comparing the same set of apps year over year, Tinder still represents roughly half of all malicious app activity, according to McAfee. The company also reported tens of thousands of attempts to install malicious mobile apps cloned from popular dating platforms such as Tinder and Bumble. Between December 1, 2025, and January 22, 2026, Plenty of Fish (POF) accounted for 78% of all detected fake dating-app installations, the highest share of any platform in this year’s analysis.
The consumer 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, according to McAfee. McAfee Labs’ findings are based on telemetry examining dating-themed URLs and Android mobile apps masquerading as popular dating platforms, comparing trends year over year to identify shifts in scammer behaviour.
Also Read: Planning a surprise trip is the most 'sexy' thing you can do this Valentine’s Day
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