Tainted Bot Love? AI Lotharios Get the Cold Shoulder on ‘World Romance Scam Prevention Day’

Tilly Norwood is having a “meteoric” start to her career. 

In a matter of days, she’s gone from obscure to sensational, pursued by Hollywood talent agencies as the next big star. She’s appeared in a wide array of social media sketches and promotional content, and even a short film. Once, while appearing on The Graham Norton Show, she broke down in tears during an emotional moment.

“Three seasons and a podcast,” she said during a stint on a red carpet, somewhere. Three seasons of what, we don’t know. What we do know is that her Instagram and TikTok are blowing up. 

Of course, there’s one little snag: Tilly isn’t real. 

Or… is she?

The story of Tilly Norwood – a completely fabricated AI creation from Xicoia, the AI division of the production company Particle6 Group – has drawn widespread backlash across the entertainment landscape. With actresses like Emily Blunt calling the faux-actress “really, really scary,” Tilly’s emergence has had a chilling effect on actors and content creators who see it as a threat to authentic human connection and job security.   

Ironically, Hollywood has been prognosticating this. Movies like Her, the trippy dystopian flick The Congress, and a sci-fi sleeper with Al Pacino called SIMONE – from way back in 2002 – offered satirical narratives and cautionary tales of what might happen if AI clones and avatars became convincing enough to replace us in media.

Well, that day has arrived. And it’s not just Hollywood wrestling with these challenges. Businesses are investing in tools that enable realistic human avatars to create training videos, webinars, and other materials that are completely AI-generated. How good are they? Check out products like Synthesia, and you'll see they're getting eerily close to the real thing.  

But there’s another sinister plot twist in all of this. As voice and image cloning technologies have bridged the uncanny valley between reality and fantasy, a phenomenon called “romance scams” has become more commonplace. In an effort to bolster awareness and fight back against this blight, today, October 3rd, has been adopted as “World Romance Scam Prevention Day.”

Yes, it's a real thing. But why am I writing about this? 

Arguably, it falls into the domain of digital experiences and AI. But more importantly, it’s personal. No, I haven’t been “Tinder Swindled” (I’ve been married for 28 years, so the whole mysticism of “swiping right” is completely alien to me). But my aging parents and in-laws have been the target of numerous scams and phishing attacks, and this is perhaps one of the most nefarious types of criminal enterprises – because it preys on our emotions.

Whether any kind of digital malfeasance or social engineering has directly befallen you or your family, we have a duty to assist our most vulnerable populations in combating this phenomenon. But one of the biggest problems with romance scams is a lack of effective detection tools. And when it does happen, victims often feel too ashamed to speak out.

As AI becomes more robust – and characters with the convincing realism of Tilly Norwood become the norm – this problem is expected to become even worse. Cybersecurity experts stress that publicity, education, and caution are really the only ways to protect internet users.

The heartbreaking costs of romance scams

At the center of this is a growing epidemic of loneliness in our society. According to data from the University of Michigan, well over one-third of people between the ages of 50 and 80 report feeling isolated or lacking in companionship. The problem is a bit of an enigma, and one that channels like social media tend to both heal and exacerbate. 

This phenomenon is creating an opportunity for romance scam predators. According to Low Cost Detectives, in the United States alone, romance scams have increased from $547 million in 2021 to over $1.3 billion in 2024, with victims losing an average of $15,000. 

It's not just an emotional tragedy – it's a financial one.

“While old-fashioned malware does not choose its victims, a variety of studies show that this new generation of scams targets the most vulnerable internet users: lonely people and those less aware of the dangers of modern online life,” said Tomas Sinicki, managing director at NordProtect, a leading identity theft protection service. “This puts romance scams among the fastest-growing scam categories.” 

What makes romance scams particularly effective is that they exploit deep human needs and vulnerabilities while relying on very specific strategies. According to NordProtect, criminals often pose as people in respectable positions (think soldiers or doctors), and rarely ask for money right away. Instead, they take time to build trust and emotional dependency, playing on loneliness, hope, and the desire for companionship. They might even send small gifts or tokens of affection before asking for larger favors.

AI has made this deception much easier to produce and maintain. Scammers can now create trusted, hyper-realistic characters with voice-cloning and video deepfakes, allowing them to scale their operations and maintain multiple long-term conversations at once without burning out. In other words, they can keep at it, nurturing trust and ultimately penetrating the emotional bubble. 

As Sinicki explained, romance scam victims feel ashamed, but scams exploit emotions – not intelligence. That means anyone can fall for them.

“Since we lack reliable tools to detect AI-generated content, education and caution are essential. But above all, having reliable online fraud insurance that includes romance scam coverage as well as other forms of fraud is an essential precaution.”

How to increase safety from AI-driven romance scams

As part of “World Romance Scam Prevention Day,” NordProtect has a few tips on how to avoid romance scams and protect your family – and even yourself – online:

• Be skeptical but respectful: Stay cautious without ruining the relationship by maintaining your own doubt. If your chat friend takes offense, explain why you’re being careful. A genuine person will understand, while a scammer will likely react with anger.
• Ask someone you trust for a second opinion: Before investing emotionally, consult a friend or family member. They may spot red flags you’ve missed. This is a tough one, but more urgent given the sophistication of scams.
• Stay alert, even if you made first contact: Initiating the conversation doesn’t make you immune. Scammers can still manipulate you. In fact, that might be part of their play. 
• Examine videos closely. AI-generated videos still have their flaws, although the “uncanny valley” effect is beginning to dissipate. But if you look closely, you can still spot the signs: unnatural facial movements or blinking, strange expressions, blurry edges around the face, mismatched skin tones, and inconsistencies with teeth or fingers. Watch everything carefully, consider the source, and always assume it might not be real.
• Use security tools and consider identity theft protection services: While technology alone cannot stop social engineering, trusted solutions (like NordProtect) offer comprehensive support for victims of romance scams and other types of online fraud.

There's still a lot to love with AI

Tilly Norwood isn't heading back into the genie's bottle. Unless it's a reboot of I Dream of Genie.

There's a lot to address when it comes to the safety and security of the internet. It's a slippery slope, and the ledge is always getting tighter. AI is complicating our footing in unfathomable ways, and we're going to fall. The goal is to avoid the worst impacts, but when it happens, learn from the pain – and work to prevent it in the future. 

A lot of that comes down to practical, non-digital strategies that rely on our vigilance. When it comes to protecting your family, model skeptical behavior. Have open conversations with both your kids and, if you’re like me, your aging parents. Be honest about the risks; it’s in their nature to trust people of authority, so encourage them to ask for proof or credentials when engaging in a digital chat or conversation. 

With broader attacks that leverage AI-generated personas – which could be mimicking you or your family members – adopt a code word that you can use to confirm your identity. These avatars are becoming incredibly sophisticated, and it's only a matter of time before they get a call that is convincingly like you. Add on a layer of dementia or other intellectual disability, and it can multiply the potential for problems. 

AI has a great propensity to improve our world. But like any technology, the bad actors will pervert it into something that can be financially and even emotionally devastating. 

The best we can do is remain strong – and give those Tinder Swindlers the cold shoulder. 

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