Staff Writer
AI is increasingly being used to deceive and manipulate victims in long-game scams, with Pig Butchering schemes becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect.
These scams usually begin with an unexpected message from a stranger on social media, dating apps or messaging platforms.
The scammer pretends to be a successful investor, entrepreneur or romantic interest and spends weeks or months building trust.
Once the relationship feels secure, they introduce what appears to be a promising investment opportunity, often involving cryptocurrency or forex trading.
The use of artificial intelligence has made these scams far more dangerous.
Fraudsters now rely on chatbots trained to mimic natural conversation, deepfake technology to create convincing photos and videos, and AI tools that generate fake investment dashboards showing false profits.
These technologies help scammers personalise messages, automate responses and maintain multiple victims at once.
“AI has given scammers the ability to scale emotional manipulation with alarming precision,” said Roxzaan Witbooi, head for compliance at Standard Bank Namibia.
“They can analyse your online behaviour, tailor their messages to your interests, and create a digital persona that feels authentic. The result is a scam that doesn’t just steal your money, it breaks your trust.”
Many victims believe they are investing in legitimate opportunities, only to later realise that the entire relationship was staged. The financial losses are often severe, but the emotional damage, including betrayal, shame and isolation, can be even more painful.
Witbooi urged the public to be cautious.
“Be cautious of unsolicited messages from strangers, especially those that quickly become personal or romantic. Verify identities through multiple channels before engaging in financial discussions. Be sceptical of investment opportunities that promise high returns with little risk. Never send money or share banking details with someone you’ve only met online and report suspicious behaviour to your bank and relevant authorities immediately.”
As AI tools grow more advanced, scammers will continue refining their tactics, but Witbooi said awareness and strong digital habits remain key to protecting yourself.
