Senator Win Gatchalian has cautioned the public against a new wave of “love scams” that now employ artificial intelligence and, in some cases, escalate into sexual exploitation.
The warning follows an advisory from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), which flagged the growing use of AI-assisted tactics in online romance fraud.
The agency recorded 123 formal complaints in 2025, with cases peaking in February, June, and October.
“Sa kabila ng pambansang pagbabawal sa mga POGO, patuloy na sinasamantala ng mga kriminal na sindikato ang mga butas sa batas sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang modus, kabilang ang mga love scam,” Gatchalian said.
He added that victims suffer not only financial losses but, in some cases, are coerced into prostitution.
The CICC identified six common scammer profiles:
- Sad boy/sad girl – shares emotional struggles before asking for money
- Seducer – pressures victims to send explicit content
- Investor – promotes fake cryptocurrency schemes
- Serviceman – claims to be a soldier overseas
- Escort – demands advance payments
- Slow burner – builds long-term trust before requesting financial help