AI tests faith and morals amid rising scams

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is transforming human interaction, work, and daily life, but it also presents new challenges, particularly in the realm of romance scams. Statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police's Commercial Crime Investigation Department reveal a concerning trend: 100 love scam cases were recorded in January 2026, a slight increase from 95 cases in the same period the previous year. While the total financial losses decreased to RM3.5 million from RM4.9 million, the emotional and reputational damage to victims remains profound.

Women constitute 60 percent of the victims, with 72 percent falling between the ages of 30 and 50. Scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, leveraging AI to create convincing fake profiles, generate romantic messages, and even mimic voices and faces using deepfake technology. These deceptive relationships often lead victims to surrender money or personal information. More alarmingly, manipulated content is now being used for extortion and blackmail.

From an Islamic perspective, the misuse of AI constitutes a breach of trust, deceit, falsehood, betrayal, and a violation of human dignity. The article stresses that addressing these challenges requires solutions grounded in religious values and moral development, complemented by robust legal enforcement. The principle of "tabayyun", verifying information before believing or spreading it, is crucial. The Quranic teaching, "Whoever deceives, he is not of us," underscores the prohibition of fraud and identity falsification. Online interactions must also be guided by Islamic etiquette and boundaries, as digital identities do not always reflect reality.

The principle of "wasatiyyah" (moderation) guides Muslims to use AI balancedly, without neglecting relationships with family, society, and God. Furthermore, the principle of "amar makruf nahi mungkar" (enjoining good and forbidding wrong) compels society to report false content, block slanderers, and support victims. Ultimately, these efforts will only be effective when accompanied by piety, with faith serving as a shield to guide ethical technology use, ensuring AI benefits humanity rather than damaging dignity and honor.

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Whoever deceives, he is not of us.