privacy
If you’re still under the illusion that scammers only target illiterate simpletons and would never be interested in you, think again. Fraud is a subtle art, and even the most tech-savvy person could fall for a well-crafted scheme. In 2025, scammers are leveraging artificial intelligence, chatbots, and the global trend toward automation.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, we reveal how scammers exploit the feelings of both those in love and those seeking it.
“This is Brad Pitt. I’m seriously ill and I need someone like you by my side”
At the start of 2025, a wholly unbelievable story shook the internet: a French woman thought she’d been dating Brad Pitt for a year-and-a-half online — only to discover it was a scam. The scammer used the actor’s image to swindle her out of about $850,000. He employed a classic scheme: claiming to be ill, “Brad Pitt” wanted to send his beloved expensive gifts but couldn’t pay the customs fees from his own accounts. So, he asked the woman to cover the costs, which she did. To appear more convincing, the scammer maintained almost daily contact and sent the victim poorly edited photos. The woman even received messages from a fake “Brad Pitt’s mother”, who thanked the woman for supporting her “son” during difficult times.
The fake Pitt showed the victim signed postcards with her name and sent sad photos from his hospital bed. Source
If you didn’t immediately question these hospital photos of “Brad Pitt”, check out our guide on spotting AI-generated fakes: Watch the (verified) birdie, or new ways to recognize fakes.
“Your partner is cheating on you”… or are they?
This is pretty much classic sextortion. Sextortion comes in a number of colorful varieties, but most often scammers send a message like this: “Hello! We represent a major security company and have gained access to all the data on your spouse’s personal devices. He/she is cheating on you, and we have evidence. Click the link to see it”. Hopefully, regular readers will have already guessed that there’s no “evidence” behind that link, and the “security company” is just another front. The only real thing here is the malicious link itself, leading you to loss of money and data.
An updated variation of this scam involves a teaser of a deepfake porn video featuring your significant other — and you can “purchase the full video” via the link. In yet another scenario, the scammers threaten to distribute AI-generated porn starring you to all your friends, colleagues, and contacts, unless you pay up immediately. Of course, you should absolutely never pay the criminals in this case — as Eugene Kaspersky explained in detail a few years ago. By the way, you can learn about other popular types of sextortion in our dedicated post, Fifty shades of sextortion.
Unexpected betrayal
Sadly, sometimes the biggest privacy threats come from current or former partners. For example, they might make your intimate photos public without your consent or knowledge. A 2024 study by our experts found that one-third of respondents store nudes on their devices, while one-in-four share intimate photos with their partners without considering the risks.
But even those who never take nudes can land in trouble: “I never took photos of myself naked, but one day, I started getting messages from strangers telling me how hot and sexy I looked. Turns out, my husband of ten years had been secretly photographing me while I slept and uploading the pictures to various forums”. For a video report on this and similar cases, plus tips on protecting yourself from revenge porn and removing leaked nudes from the web, check out our article, The Naked Truth.
“I’m something of a detective myself”
Some overly jealous individuals go as far as spying on their partners. And no, these days, you don’t need to hire a private detective — jealous lovers usually resort to spyware (stalkerware/spouseware) or Bluetooth tracking devices.
Software surveillance. Last year, a story went viral on social media about a woman who received a high-end smartphone as a gift from her boyfriend. Months later, she was shocked to discover that he knew a little too much about her whereabouts, conversations with friends, and private life in general. It turned out that before giving her the phone, her jealous partner had loaded it with all sorts of spyware to track her location and eavesdrop on her conversations.
Commercial surveillance apps are widely available. They’re often disguised as “parental control” apps, but once installed, they typically remain completely invisible on the device. They may also disguise themselves as something innocuous — a messaging app, a game, or a photo-gallery app. These apps are particularly easy to install and conceal on Android devices.
However, installing them usually requires physical access to the device. That’s why the first step to protect yourself is to set a strong screen lock password and never share it with anyone.
Wireless tracking. A tiny Bluetooth tracker can be slipped into a victim’s bag, car, or personal belongings — transmitting their location and movements to the stalker. It’s worth noting that even some of the latest wireless earbuds (TWS headphones) can also be used as tracking devices.
Fortunately, both software and hardware trackers can be detected and neutralized using the Who’s spying on me feature in Kaspersky for Android.
How to protect yourself from scams targeting lovers or the lovelorn
No matter how sophisticated a scam is, you can almost always protect yourself — especially when it comes to romance-related schemes. Here’s a list of tips to make your private life a little safer:
- Use online dating apps safely. Create a private profile, share minimal confidential information, and be especially careful when interacting with new people.
- Secure your devices with reliable protection to safeguard yourself from jealous partners or stalking exes.
- Learn to tell real photos from deepfakes. Always double-check suspicious images.
- Don’t engage with scammers who demand money or personal data in exchange for not releasing deepfake porn or nudes. It’s a bluff.
