07.04.2026 - Romance scams can result in significant financial losses and often put those affected under intense emotional pressure. Scammers create fake profiles on social media platforms and dating sites, with the aim of persuading people to send them money. They are increasingly using AI-generated images to make their stories more convincing. In one case reported to the NCSC, a supposed medical emergency was deliberately used to create pressure. This shows that scammers are now using artificial intelligence across a wide range of scam types.
Alongside online investment scams, romance scams are among the types of fraud with the highest financial losses. In a romance scam, fraudsters create fake profiles on social media and dating sites to trick people into thinking they're in a romantic relationship. They often make up excuses, such as claiming to live abroad, to explain why they can't meet in person. Once they've gained your trust, they'll ask for money. In addition to the financial impact, these cases are usually highly distressing emotionally. In one particularly brazen case, AI was used.
As is often the case with scams, it begins with what seems like an innocent first message. It quickly feels as though you know them – regular chats and personal photos make the connection seem real. Step by step, they build an emotional connection with you. Once that trust is in place, they start asking for money. They come up with increasingly elaborate stories – often involving debts, financial emergencies affecting relatives, or a sudden deterioration in their own health.
They provide detailed descriptions of these developments and keep you updated on their supposed illness. To make the story more convincing, they use AI-generated images. These might show them lying in a hospital bed, connected to medical equipment. To create a sense of closeness, they might place personal items on the bedside table – for example a picture of you, or a mug with your name on it.
They claim that their condition is deteriorating. Eventually, they say they have no money left for the urgent treatment they need. By this point, the emotional bond is often so strong that you are willing to provide financial support, in the hope of helping them and saving the relationship. Despite the payments, their condition supposedly continues to deteriorate until you are finally informed of their death. In a particularly cruel twist, the scammers then send you a death notice and a photograph of a gravestone. They promise to refund your money, but claim that you must first pay fees or the money cannot be released. This is how they scam you a second time.
This approach represents a particularly ruthless new development in these types of scam: fraudsters deliberately exploit people's emotions and use modern tools, such as AI-generated images, to make their stories as convincing as possible.
Recommendations
- Break off contact immediately if the person repeatedly asks for money.
- If you have suffered a financial loss, we recommend that you report it to the police. You can find your nearest police station on the Suisse ePolice website (available in German, French and Italian).
- If the incident is causing you a lot of stress, talk to someone you trust.
- If you have financial problems, contact your cantonal debt counselling centre (available in German and French).
- Do not send money or goods to people you do not know and have never met in person.
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Last modification 07.04.2026
