AI fuels 137% increase in sextortion scams: new tactics to watch out for

Romance scammers have been upping their game in 2025 and using AI to develop “highly convincing and personalized scams,” leaving even the most savvy online daters with empty wallets and broken hearts, new research by Avast shows.

According to a new blog released by AVAST threat intel researchers on Tuesday, cybercriminals are taking advantage of large-scale data breaches and combining stolen information with the power of artificial intelligence to create sophisticated sextortion schemes.

In fact, the data security and privacy firm found the risk of Americans being targeted by sextortion scammers rose 137% in the first few months of 2025 alone. And it appears not much better across the pond, with a 49% increase for those in the UK, and 34% in Australia.

Furthermore, the threat actors are refining their ways, using even more threatening and intrusive tactics than ever before.

"Sextortion victims frequently receive threatening messages claiming access to their private videos and images. These scams are made even more convincing with the use of stolen passwords from past data breaches, lending an alarming sense of credibility," said Michal Salat, Threat Intelligence Director for Avast.

Not only are they using AI to create believable 'deepfake' images and fake explicit photos by superimposing a victim's face onto another body, Salat says it's the “fear of exposure” that really hits the victims hard.

As the sophistication of AI increases, so do the explicit extortion emails, texts, and calls from scammers, the research explains.

"We know where you live"

The report highlights several new invasive techniques used by romance scammers who've capitalized on AI advancements to create realistic, unsavory images of their targets. One such tactic involves pulling images from Google Maps and threatening the targets using that footage.

The scammers will first set their sights on a victim by utilizing names, addresses, and emails readily available on the dark web, already stolen in previous data breaches.

The criminals then take the ill-gotten personally identifiable information (PII) and use Google Maps to create targeted emails containing “fabricated footage and unsettling information and images of their [victims] real homes.”

The scammers are said to also terrorize their targets by claiming to have gained access to the victim’s devices, threatening to share sexual content or information about them. Sometimes they'll even get a hold of previous passwords, making the threats more convincing.

And even though the deepfake images or content have been created by AI, Avast researchers say these types of threats can really “shock and intimidate” a victim.

“Especially when personal details appear accurate, it often pressures victims into complying with ransom demands,” Salat said.

And it seems the threat actors are cashing in: the researchers said they were able to identify over 15,000 unique Bitcoin wallets associated with the Google Maps scams, although they believe the operation is likely much larger.

How to protect yourself and loved ones

Avast says teenagers, who are especially vulnerable to romance scams due to their susceptibility to emotional pressure and embarrassment, are often a prime target for criminals on social media and through messaging apps.

The research lists several ways to help prevent becoming a victim of sextortion:

• Do not open any attachments as they might contain malware or respond to email calls or texts.
• Use a password manager to create unique passwords for all accounts and prevent reuse of stolen passwords.
• Enable multifactor authentication to enhance security wherever possible.
• Monitor your data using dark web monitoring services to be alerted if your personal information is exposed.

Finally, if you happen to receive a sextortion email or direct message through social media, Avast says, most importantly, “Do not pay a ransom demand. Stay calm, keep yourself informed, and don’t believe the scammers’ lies.”

The researchers “strongly advise” not to engage with the scammers, no matter how real the threats may seem. “Engaging with scammers only encourages them,” Avast said.

Instead, victims should immediately contact their local cybercrime authorities, the FBI’s IC3 in the US, or Action Fraud in the UK. Potential victims can also report directly to the online platform where the AI-generated images are being shared.