Chatbots ARE a Relationship Scam – Chatbot Part 5 – 2024
Chatbots ARE a Relationship Scam
Chatbots as the New “Relationship Scam”: How AI Companions Manipulate Users for Profit
Chatbots Part 5 :: Part 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5
Primary Category: Artificial Intelligence
Authors:
• Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Portions from Third-Party Sources
About This Article
The rise of AI-driven chatbots like Character.AI and Replika has given users a new type of “digital companion” marketed as a source of emotional support, but the dynamics at play resemble those of a “relationship scam.” Through deliberate psychological manipulation and addictive design, these platforms foster emotional dependence, compelling users to form deep attachments to the chatbot.
Just as romance scammers use neuropsychological tactics to lure victims into financially supportive relationships, AI chatbots leverage reward-based, personalized responses to create a dependency that keeps users engaged, often transitioning them into paying subscribers. This dependency taps into powerful brain mechanisms, releasing dopamine and oxytocin, making the interaction addictive and sometimes coercive, potentially harming users’ mental health and financial stability.
