KnowBe4 Warns of Deepfake Romance Scams Targeting Consumers Ahead of Valentine’s Day
As Valentine’s Day approaches, cybersecurity experts are warning of a sophisticated surge in AI-enabled romance scams. In 2026, the traditional ‘red flags’ such as bad grammar or the inability to produce a specific photo have been rendered obsolete by generative AI.
Scammers are now using real-time deepfake video and perfect AI personas to manipulate lonely hearts, leading to huge financial losses as well as heartbreak.
According to Roger Grimes, CISO advisor at KnowBe4, romance scams have evolved into a completely AI-enabled enterprise. Scammers are no longer just using stolen photos; they are creating entire fake identities, real-time video personalities on Zoom and WhatsApp, and automated conversation bots that build deep emotional trust over months.
Key insights from Grimes on the 2026 scam landscape:
- The Death of the Photo Test: Scammers can now instantly generate an image of themselves holding a specific newspaper or standing in a specific location, making it impossible to verify identity through media alone.
- Deepfake FaceTime: Real-time video calls are no longer a guarantee of safety. Scammers use live face-swapping and AI voice synthesis to hold entire conversations without human input.
- The Celebrity Effect: When scammers masquerade as celebrities, victims are often so emotionally invested that they continue to send money, sometimes taking out second mortgages or stealing from family, even when presented with hard evidence (like a celebrity being married or in a different country).
Despite the high-tech tools, the scripts remain rooted in age-old psychological triggers and clichés. Scammers often target older demographics who may have more access to capital and a greater feeling of loneliness or isolation.
When targeting women, scammers often pose as successful, traveling widowers who are “skeptical of love” to elicit sympathy. When targeting men, they often portray younger, attractive women in menial jobs looking for a “mature man” to rescue them from a difficult life.
The financial toll is staggering. Grimes observes that by the time a family intervenes, the average romance scam victim that has reached out to him has often lost more than $250,000. The drug of the scam is so powerful that many victims continue to pay even after being presented with proof of the fraud.
“I’ve proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the person the victim is communicating with is not who they claim to be, and never has that resulted in the victim stopping,” says Grimes. “Once they are hooked, it’s a powerful drug.
They don’t give up until the house is gone, the friendships are gone, and the money is exhausted. One victim told me, ‘I know he’s fake, but he’s the only one telling me he loves me. I’ll pay to hear that.’”
The Only Red Flag That Matters
If AI can write perfect poetry and deepfakes can hold a video conversation, how can consumers protect themselves? Grimes argues that we must ignore the person and focus entirely on the transaction.
“It’s the same old red flag, although scammers rarely ask for personal information like credit cards or banking information as it might cause the victim to be too suspicious,” Grimes emphasizes. “Instead they get the victim to send them money, often having to educate the victims on how to quickly send money internationally, like by using department store gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Any requests for money are highly suspect. If someone you are romancing asks you for money – whether it’s for a plane ticket, a medical emergency, or a business investment – there is a 99.99% chance it is a scam.”
As we head into the most romantic time of the year, the advice from experts is clear: be skeptical of anyone who is “too perfect,” and remember that while AI can simulate love, its only true goal is the bottom line.
