#FactCheck - AI Generated image of Virat Kohli falsely claims to be sand art of a child

Introduction

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On August 8, 2026, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar posted an unusual warning on X: colourful posters offering a "handsome guy" to join you for coffee or a movie  at 50% off: it was not a quirky dating startup but a calculated cyber fraud. Within hours, the "Rent Boyfriend" alert had gone viral, pulling back the curtain on a scam that blends India's growing loneliness economy, classic confidence tricks, and AI-generated imagery. Here is what's actually happening, why it works, and how to protect yourself.

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A Trend Growing Fast: In India and Worldwide

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Paid-companionship culture itself isn't new. "Rent a friend" services began in Japan and later China, where apps let people hire a company for a movie, a walk, or a family event without romantic or sexual expectations. The idea reached India as early as 2018, when Mumbai's "Rent A Guy" app began recruiting men for casual outings; by 2022, similar pages like "Toy Boy" and "Hire a Friend" had spread to Bengaluru, and Valentine's Day 2025 saw ₹389 "rent a boyfriend" posters plastered across the city. Fraudsters have now hijacked this recognisable, socially normalised idea and weaponised it: the Hyderabad ads promised specific packages,  ₹499 for a coffee date, ₹1,249 for a movie, ₹1,999 for a wedding, and ₹4,499 for ten hours collected via QR codes and wallets, then vanished. The underlying numbers show why this template is so attractive to criminals. Complaints filed on India's National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal jumped from roughly 4.5 lakh in 2021 to about 2.3 million by 2026, and the country now logs an estimated 4,000-plus cybercrime complaints a day. Globally, romance and "confidence fraud" are some of the costliest online crimes: the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 23,159 romance-fraud complaints in 2025 worth $929.3 million, which is a 38% jump over 2024,  while the UK logged over £102 million in losses and Australia and Canada reported tens of millions more. Crucially, IC3's 2025 report flagged AI as an accelerant for the first time, attributing roughly $19 million in romance-scam losses directly to AI-generated profiles, images and chat exactly the "AI-generated photographs" Hyderabad Police say the Rent Boyfriend network used.

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Case Studies

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The Rent Boyfriend network is one data point in a wider, well-documented pattern in India:

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1. Hyderabad, August 2026: Fraudsters ran Instagram, Telegram and Facebook pages using stock or AI-generated photos of "attractive men", collected advance payments and security deposits, and then blocked victims,  the case that prompted this advisory.
2. Jaipur, 2026: A honey-trap and extortion ring allegedly used AI-manipulated videos and images to blackmail a businessman out of nearly ₹90 lakh, with police examining how far synthetic media was used to fabricate compromising content.
3. Mumbai: A gang was arrested for cheating a woman out of ₹16.18 lakh in gold and cash after promising to "reunite" her with a lost partner, a variant that exploits the same emotional vulnerability through a different pretext.
4. Gujarat, 2025: A social media influencer with over 10 lakh followers was arrested for allegedly honey-trapping and blackmailing a builder, illustrating how organised such rackets have become.

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These sit alongside a global backdrop where FBI data shows confidence and romance fraud disproportionately drains people over 60 (63% of US losses in 2025) even as India's version increasingly targets young women and students, a sign the tactic is being localised for different demographics rather than disappearing.

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Why It Works: The Psychology of Loneliness and Grooming

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Researchers who study romance-fraud victims consistently find that loneliness, a tendency toward idealised romantic beliefs, and a need for social connection are the strongest predictors of victimisation. Scammers exploit this through a well-rehearsed grooming arc: rapid, excessive flattery ("love bombing") to create instant intimacy; mirroring the target's interests and values to seem like a perfect match; gently discouraging outside opinions so doubts don't surface; and only then introducing a financial ask, framed as something small and reasonable — a booking fee or a security deposit precisely because it feels low-stakes compared to a direct cash demand. The "package" pricing in the Rent Boyfriend ads (₹499 for coffee, scaling up to ₹4,499) mimics legitimate e-commerce, which lowers a target's guard further. Once payment is made and blocked, many victims feel too embarrassed to report it — a shame response researchers and police repeatedly flag as the biggest reason such scams are under-reported.

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Red Flags and What To Do?

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Red flags to watch for:

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1. Companionship or dating offers with attractive stock/AI-style photos and steep "discounts"
2. Contact only through DMs, with no verifiable business identity, address or reviews.
3. Requests for advance payment, "security deposits", or booking fees via UPI/QR code before any service is delivered.
4. Reluctance to do a video call or a video call that looks slightly off (a common AI/deepfake tell).
5. Pressure to move fast, share personal photos, or keep the interaction secret from friends and family.

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Precautions:

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1. Never send money to confirm a booking with an unverified individual or page.
2. Avoid sharing personal photographs, phone numbers, addresses or financial details with strangers online.
3. Don't meet anyone in person whom you've only interacted with through such ads.
4. Parents should stay engaged with what their children see and who they talk to on social media.

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If you suspect a scam or have lost money: Don't panic and don't pay more to "fix" it. Stop all contact, save screenshots and payment records, and call the 1930 cybercrime helpline or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in immediately — reporting within the first "golden hour" significantly improves the chance of freezing transferred funds before they're withdrawn.

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The Government, Platform and Legal Angle

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India already has legal tools for this, though enforcement lags the pace of the fraud. Cheating by personation online is punishable under Section 66D of the IT Act, 2000 (up to three years' imprisonment plus fine), often paired with Section 66C on identity theft; the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita's cheating provisions (replacing IPC Sections 420/419) apply where money is dishonestly induced. Under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2021, platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Telegram must appoint a grievance officer, acknowledge complaints within 24 hours, and take down unlawful content within 36 hours of a court or government notification  obligation. Hyderabad's cybercrime wing can invoke to force the removal of these ad networks. Larger "significant social media intermediaries" carry added duties around traceability and proactive monitoring.

The gap is upstream: platforms currently do little to verify who is running a commercial-sounding page before it reaches thousands of users, and AI-generated "profile" images are not systematically flagged. A stronger response would combine faster platform-side KYC for pages soliciting payment, proactive detection of AI-generated advertising imagery, and continued expansion of the 1930 golden-hour fund-freezing mechanism paired with public advisories like Hyderabad's, which remain one of the fastest ways to blunt a scam before it scales.

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Conclusion

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Loneliness is not something anyone should be ashamed of, but it is exactly what these networks are built to exploit. No genuine companionship service needs an advance QR payment before you've even met the person.

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Sources

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• Deccan Herald — Hyderabad Police Commissioner cautions young women over 'rent boyfriend' offers
• Republic World — 'Rent Boyfriend' Offers On Social Media?
• Newsdrum — What is 'Rent Boyfriend' trap?
• IndiaSpend — How India's Cyber Crime Incidence Is Rising
• FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report Brochure

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The UN established its first permanent Global Mechanism for cybersecurity which will begin operations in March 2026. The policy framework for Western countries exists because their current strategies are being developed. The situation in India presents greater complexity and higher levels of interest than any other country.

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The Fence That Became a Vantage Point
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The United Nations cybersecurity talks have seen India actively participate since their start. India brought its proposal for an open and inclusive multilateral framework which was supported by Western states who wanted to establish universal norms and responsible state behaviour but India did not accept their geopolitical viewpoint.

India did not support the Russia-led bloc which wanted a permanent open-ended working group that would focus only on plenary meetings and the country also rejected the European Union's Program of Action. India maintained its previous stance by supporting multilateralism as a general principle while showing hesitation about backing specific power structures.

The fence now provides an advantage because it no longer serves as a point of vulnerability. India's non-alignment provides him with operational power because the body operates through decision-making which requires all members to agree.

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Sovereignty First, Norms Second
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The digital sovereignty framework which defines India's long-standing cybersecurity diplomatic activities serves as the country's fundamental cybersecurity diplomatic framework. New Delhi has been reluctant to endorse frameworks that could constrain how it manages its own cyberspace, whether through content regulation, surveillance architecture, or incident response. The Indian government establishes its control over internet governance through its implementation of VPN regulations and CERT-In reporting requirements and data localization discussions. 

The new Global Mechanism creates a situation which India must handle because it creates an uncommon diplomatic situation. The framework's five pillars, threats, norms, international law, confidence-building measures, and capacity-building, each carry embedded assumptions that don't sit neatly with India's domestic policy posture. India supports the norm which prohibits countries from attacking each other's critical infrastructure while developing offensive cyber abilities and keeping its cyber response strategies secret.

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The Capacity-Building Opening
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The Indian government has a definite interest in dedicated thematic group 2 which focuses on building cybersecurity capacity. India exists in two opposing states because it operates as a developing nation which lacks basic national cybersecurity systems while also maintaining advanced cyber defense capabilities. The donor table exists as a platform which gives India both funding rights and complete rights to speak for developing nations. India should serve as a connecting force for DTG 2 by sharing its experience with CERT-In development and its sectoral frameworks for finance and telecom and its National Cyber Coordination Centre programs which train cybersecurity professionals while requesting capacity-building programs that follow demand-based needs assessment and local context understanding and which do not include the typical restrictions that accompany Western technical assistance.

India has done this before in other multilateral settings. The organization maintains its independence through its role as a credible Global South representative which it uses to speak for the Global South without aligning with any particular alliance.

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The DTG 1 Question: Critical Infrastructure and Strategic Ambiguity
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The DTG 1 study about ICT security challenges shows how resilience and cooperation and stability work together as different themes but creates complex challenges for India.

The 2020 Mumbai power grid incident which some researchers attribute to Chinese state-linked actors has become one of three major attacks against India's critical infrastructure together with AIIMS Delhi incidents in 2022 and ongoing cyber intrusions into defence and government networks. The international standards which govern critical infrastructure protection require actual implementation from India because the country possesses vital national assets.

India has not yet established formal processes for cyberattack attribution while its officials avoid the norm-enforcement diplomacy which Western countries practice through their coordinated attribution and sanction procedures. 

India must either develop deeper transparency about its operations or create specialized operational plans which can keep its needed information undercover if it wants to participate in DTG 1 about cross-border interdependencies and incident response collaboration. India will likely engage selectively, supporting the idea of critical infrastructure norms while resisting mechanisms that operationalise accountability.

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Geopolitical Triangulation
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The new Global Mechanism needs countries to implement their national policies because states must stop merely restating their positions. Multilateral cybersecurity forums operate as Geopolitical triangulation platforms for India. India's security system must protect its interests against its two main cyber adversaries which include China and Pakistan-based groups. 

The US and EU strategic partnership between India and these Western governments requires India to show closer ties with democratic nations through its participation in international forums. The new Global Mechanism will require India to pursue its current position by participating in capacity-building activities while developing common norms through its work on general norms language. 

India will maintain its current position between Western liberal order enforcement and Russia-China sovereignty-maximalist counter-narrative through its capacity-building activities and general norms language work.

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What India Should Actually Do
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The document establishes core argument which states early DTG development needs to be established for proper assessment of future results which applies to Indian territory and European territory. India has the credibility and technical foundation and diplomatic ties which enable it to establish itself as an agenda-setter who takes proactive actions instead of following others. India should take the following actions to achieve its goals: lead or co-lead DTG 2 discussions which focus on the capacity requirements of the Global South while advancing DG 1 areas that protect developing nations from actual threats and establish South-South cybersecurity agreements through this system which will help them bypass Western capacity development restrictions. The Global Mechanism offers an essential multilateral platform which provides advantages to countries that take initial actions. India has the ability to make an impact because it possesses strategic advantages which will be activated through its choice between active participation and total disengagement.

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References
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• http://interface-eu.org/publications/the-new-united-nations-mechanism-on-cybersecurity#a-european-strategy-for-the-dtgs
• https://disarmament.unoda.org/en/our-work/emerging-challenges/developments-field-information-and-telecommunications-context
• https://www.recordedfuture.com/research/redecho-targeting-indian-power-sector
• https://www.saikrishnaassociates.com/cert-in-issues-directions-for-information-security-practices-procedure-prevention-response-and-reporting-of-cyber-incidents/

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Executive Summary:

Internship scams have infiltrated the academic landscape, scamming students of many prestigious colleges. The students often prefer to carry out internships to gain knowledge and work experience. These scams use the name of popular multinational companies to exploit the students. This report studies the various case studies, their modus operandi, impact on the students and preventive strategies. This report emphasises the importance of awareness and proactive measures to protect students from falling victim to such frauds.

1. Introduction

Internships are the opportunity to overcome the gap between the practical knowledge acquired at the university and practical experience, to get practical skills and contacts in the field of activity, as well as improve employment prospects. Instead, because of high paying internships and interesting positions students have become targets of work scams. As we have seen with the advancement in digital technology, scammers take advantage of the disguise of the internet, making very neat, smart, and convincing scams. 

 Internship scams are very prevalent and they include fake job listings and phishing schemes as well as payment frauds which make students lose lots of money and also emotionally expose them. In this specific case, this paper examines how these scams work, the warning signs, and ways of protecting students from falling victim to them.

2. Detailed Modus Operandi of Internship Scams

Internship scams often employ  a variety of tactics to attract and deceive unsuspecting students. Below is a detailed breakdown of the common methods used by scammers:

1. Fake Job Listings and Offers:some text
   • Scammers post attractive internship offers on popular job portals, social media platforms, and even send personalised messages via LinkedIn. These listings often mimic the branding and style of reputable companies, including well-designed logos, professional email addresses, and official-looking websites.
   • Example: A fake internship offer from a reputed software firm circulates on a job portal, with a professional landing page. Students who apply are quickly “hired” without any interviews, and are asked to pay a security deposit to confirm their acceptance.
2. Upfront Payment Requests:some text
   • Scammers ask for payment such as registration fees, training materials, background checks, or security deposits. These payments comes under non-refundable payment  and it act as the primary revenue stream for the fraudsters.
   • Example: A group of students receive internship offers requiring a payment of INR 10,000 for "training materials" and "online assessments." After making the payment, the students never hear back from the company, and all attempts to contact them were futile.
3. Phishing and Identity Theft:some text
   • Beyond financial fraud, some scams aim to steal personal information. Fake internship applications often require detailed personal data, including identity proofs, bank account details. This data will be used as identity theft or sold on the dark web.
   • Example: A student applies for an internship that asks for copies of identification documents and bank details. This information sharing led to unauthorised transactions in their bank account. 
4. Work-from-Home Frauds:some text
   • With the rise of remote work, scammers also offer work-from-home internships that require students to purchase software or pay for specialised training. After payment, students are often given irrelevant tasks or no tasks at all, leaving them with no real work experience.
   • Example: An internship advertised as a "remote data analysis role" required students to buy a proprietary software licence. After paying, students realised the software was freely available online, and the internship tasks were non-existent.
5. Impersonation of Reputed Companies:some text
   • Scammers use the name of well-known companies, they modify the email addresses or create fake websites that look original. They use these platforms to send offer letters, making it difficult for students to identify the scam.
   • Example: A scammer creates a fake website mirroring a major consulting firm's internship page. The only difference is a minor change in the URL. Dozens of students are duped into paying registration fees.

3. Case Studies of Real-Life Incidents

1. Case Study 1: The Certification Course and Internshipsome text
   • A group of students received personalised emails from an official domain of a reputed tech industry providing an internship offer. Students were asked to pay Rs 10,000 to undergo a certification course to carry the internship. After paying the amount, the students did not receive any instructions, and the company was found to be nonexistent. The scammer had spoofed the company’s email domain, making it difficult to trace the source.
2. Case Study 2: The Social Media Trapsome text
   • A student from a university encountered an internship post on Instagram, advertising roles at a popular fashion brand. The application process involved a "screening fee" of INR 5,000. Despite appearing legitimate, the internship was fake, and the brand had no knowledge of the post. The student's personal data was also compromised, leading to unauthorised social media activity.
3. Case Study 3: Internship Providing Social Platformssome text
   • A popular internship providing platform, faced an incident where a scammer posted fraudulent internship offers under the guise of a major multinational. The scam involved asking students to purchase expensive software to start their work. The platform had to issue warnings and remove the listings after several complaints.

4. The Impact on Students

The consequences of internship scams extend beyond immediate financial loss, affecting students on multiple levels:

1. Financial Impact:some text
   • Students lose their money, ranging from minor fees to significant payments.
2. Emotional and Psychological Distress:some text
   • These kinds of scams can lead to anxiety, depression and loss of confidence in availing the opportunities in future. 
3. Exposure to Further Scams:some text
   • Scammers often share details of their victims with other fraudsters, making students susceptible to repeated scams, including phishing attacks, financial frauds, and unsolicited offers.

5. Preventive Measures

1. Verification of Internships:some text
   • Always verify the authenticity of the internship by researching the company on official platforms such as LinkedIn, the company’s official website, and through trusted contacts or college placement cells.
2. Avoid Upfront Payments:some text
   • Employers do not ask for money in exchange for job or internship offers. If they demand for any kind of payment, then the employer is not original. Always question the necessity of such payments and consult trusted advisors before proceeding.
3. Use Trusted Job Portals:some text
   • Apply for internships through recognized platforms like LinkedIn, Internshala, or your college’s placement cell, which have verification processes to filter out fraudulent postings.
4. Reporting Scams:some text
   • Report suspicious offers to your college authorities, placement cells, and local cybercrime departments. Additionally, use platforms like Internshala’s “Report This Job” feature to flag fraudulent listings.
5. Stay Educated and Updated:some text
   • It is important to educate students by providing workshops, webinars, and awareness sessions on cybersecurity to stay informed and report about the latest scams. 

6. Conclusion

Internship scams are a severe threat to the student society since they manipulate the student’s desire for an internship. The best ways to prevent such cons are by being cautious and receptive to whatever is being offered. Internship seekers, colleges and the placement cells have to work hand in hand to ensure that there is no fear among  people seeking internships.

References

1. Smith, J. (2024). Internship Scams on the Rise: How to Spot and Avoid Them. Retrieved from example1.com.
2. Brown, A. (2023). Student Internship Scams in India: A Growing Concern. Retrieved from example2.com.
3. Johnson, L. (2024). How to Protect Yourself from Fake Internship Offers. Retrieved from example3.com.
4. Gupta, R. (2024). Social Media and the Rise of Job Scams. Retrieved from example4.com.

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