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Operation “Date Bait”: AI-enabled scam targeting loveseekers

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Operation “Date Bait”: AI-enabled scam targeting loveseekers

OpenAI banned accounts that very likely originated in Cambodia and used AI for scam outreach to Indonesian loveseekers, including translation and engagement.

This case study was originally published in OpenAI’s February 2026⁠(opens in a new window) report on disrupting malicious uses of AI.

We banned a cluster of ChatGPT accounts and one API customer that were using our models to run a semi-automated romance and task scam likely defrauding hundreds of victims a month. This activity very likely originated in Cambodia and aligns with recent public reporting⁠(opens in a new window) on Chinese-led criminal scam operations in the country. In isolated cases, individual users self-identified as scam workers in Cambodia, such as when asking the model for tax advice and stating their occupation as “scammer”.

The network used ChatGPT and API access to our models to conduct a scaled, semi-automated romance task scam, following a structured workflow and operating model reminiscent of cold- outreach sales programs .

1. Ping: At the top of the funnel, the operation used its ChatGPT accounts to generate promotional texts for a high-end dating and escort service called “Klub Romantis”. These texts were then posted on social media as paid ads. The scammers targeted Indonesian men interested in luxury lifestyle content, using ad keywords including “golf”, “yachts”, and “fine dining”. The ads included links to an AI chatbot instructed to pose as a flirtatious receptionist. The purported receptionist asked targets to choose from a menu of types of women and relationships before directing them to Telegram using a tracking URL and promo code.


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