How to Spot a Bot in a Chat

Ask something that needs real context: "What did I just say about my cat?" or "Reply with the third word of my last message." Scripts usually fail.

Clicks to scam or adult sites, your login details, your phone number, or money. Never click, never share codes.

Do not click anything. Skip. Report so the account gets banned for everyone.

Human-to-human matching, link filtering, rate limits on new handles, and device-level bans for automated accounts. Safety Center

Bots are cheap to run and chat sites attract large audiences, so spammers use them to funnel people toward paid adult sites, fake "dating" platforms, crypto schemes and phishing pages. Some are simple scripts that paste the same message to everyone; newer ones use AI text generation and can hold a short conversation. The goal is almost always the same: get you to click, move to another app or hand over something valuable.

### 1. Link spammers The oldest kind. They open with a flirty or "bored" line and drop a link within a message or two. Easy to spot, easy to report.

### 2. App funnels They chat briefly, then push you to "add me on" another app. Once there, a human scammer or another bot takes over, often with image-based blackmail or romance-scam scripts.

### 3. AI chatters They can answer questions convincingly but tend to be generic, overly agreeable and oddly fast, and they eventually steer toward a link, a payment or a request for images.

• "Verify you're not a bot by clicking…" (the irony is the scam)
• "I only use [other app], add me"
• "My cam is broken, see my pics here"
• "I'm a model, check my page"
• "I made $3,000 this week trading, want me to show you?"

Do not click. Do not reply with personal details. Skip and report so the account is banned for everyone. If you already clicked a link and entered details, change your passwords immediately and enable two-factor authentication.

Every bot you report is removed for every other user. On TalkWithStrangers.club, bot reports feed device-level bans and our filters, so one report can block a whole wave.

Real people adapt to what you say. Send three messages that need real context: a question about something you just said, a typo-filled joke, and a question about their previous answer. Bots usually ignore all three or reply with the same script.

Some people type fast or copy greetings. The giveaway is not speed alone; it's the combination of generic messages, ignoring your questions and pushing a link or another app.

Newer bots use AI and can hold short conversations. Signs still show: they avoid specifics, never share anything verifiable about their day, and eventually steer you to a link, an app or money. If a "person" seems perfect and then asks you to move platforms, be suspicious.

Bots are often the first step in scams. The FTC reports Americans lost $2.7 billion to scams that started on social media between 2021 and its 2023 analysis (FTC). Skipping and reporting bots stops them from reaching the next person.

Match humans with humans, block links from new handles, rate-limit messages, detect repeated scripts and ban at device level. On TalkWithStrangers.club, reported bots are removed and their devices banned.

In rooms, bots post the same link or message repeatedly, often under new handles. Don't click, don't reply, report one message and let moderators remove the account. Replying only helps bots detect active users.

Close the page without entering anything. If you typed a password, change it immediately and turn on two-factor authentication. If you entered payment details, contact your bank. Then report the bot so it's removed for everyone else. Acting quickly limits the damage.

If you're a regular in a room, help newcomers: when a bot posts a link, a calm "that's a bot, don't click" warns others without feeding it. Then report. Communities that call out bots quickly make scams far less effective, because bots rely on people who don't know the signs.