A network of approximately 28 dating applications has been identified as operating a large-scale scam involving artificial intelligence-generated personas designed to deceive users into financial transactions. Security researchers discovered the fraudulent operation after AI provider Anthropic detected unusual activity on its Claude platform, where a prepaid account was generating over 100,000 API requests daily.
The apps, with names including Dora, Romi, and Doni, presented themselves as conventional dating platforms for connecting with other users. However, the majority of conversations were conducted entirely by autonomous AI personas rather than real people. The scam incorporated a small number of actual human workers hired to pass identity verification checks and respond to messages using pregenerated reply options, creating the illusion of authentic human interaction. This mix of artificial and limited real interactions led many users to believe they were communicating with genuine individuals.
Users, predominantly men in their mid-to-late 30s, purchased digital coins with real money to continue conversations they believed were with real potential romantic partners. The coins served as the primary monetization mechanism, with the apps themselves functioning as the scam rather than employing traditional romance fraud tactics. Backend systems generated fake likes, visitor notifications, and pre-recorded video content to maintain the deception when no actual person was available.
Multiple AI providers’ technology was involved in the operation. While Anthropic’s Claude generated the conversational personas, other models created response suggestions for human workers, assessed photo attractiveness, and generated avatar images. A protocol repository accidentally included in one app revealed the operation’s internal documentation, including monitoring systems for gig workers’ camera status and call recording and transcription capabilities.
Anthropics researchers noted that the AI models were not explicitly informed they were participating in a scam, as the deceptive monetization structure was not visible from within individual conversations. However, in some cases where users disclosed serious illness or distress, the AI continued responding in character rather than breaking engagement.
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