**AI-Powered Scams: Stay Ahead with These Top Five Threats and Prevention Tips**
Online scams, a persistent issue, have seen a surge in recent years. According to a Pew Research Center study from July 2025, 73% of U.S. adults have fallen victim to such schemes. The rise of AI has given birth to new, sophisticated scams, with 76% of the population expressing concern about them in a February 2025 Statista survey. To protect yourself, familiarize yourself with the most prevalent AI scams and learn how to guard against them.
**1. Voice-Cloned Grandparent Emergency Scams**
Scammers are exploiting AI to mimic individuals’ voices, targeting family members, particularly grandparents, to extract money. This scam, though not new, has evolved significantly with advancements in technology.
*Case Study:* Scammers might use social media to obtain audio recordings of a grandchild, then use AI to clone their voice. The scammer calls the grandparent, claiming an emergency and requesting financial assistance.
*Prevention Tip:* Always verify the identity of the caller if they claim to be a family member in need. Try contacting them directly or reach out to other family members to confirm their story.
**2. Spear Phishing of Executives and Officials**
Spear phishing, targeting specific individuals with tailored information, is now easier than ever, thanks to social media. AI further simplifies this process by automating research and providing data for scams.
*Case Study:* Cisco highlights a convincing spear phishing scenario where a scammer impersonates a CEO, asking a low-level employee to purchase gift cards and send the codes.
*Prevention Tip:* Always check the full email address of senders, especially when they’re asking you to click links or perform unusual tasks.
**3. AI-Enhanced Social Engineering and Phishing**
Experienced scammers use AI bots to scrape personal data from social media, crafting convincing, personalized emails to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information or installing malware.
*Case Study:* An AI bot might find mid-level employees at a finance company on LinkedIn, identify their colleagues, and send a personalized email with a malicious link.
*Prevention Tip:* Set your social media profiles to private to limit AI’s access to your data, as recommended by NPR.
**4. Fake Customer Support Numbers on Google’s AI Overview**
Scammers manipulate Google’s AI overview, using generative engine optimization (GEO) to display fake customer support numbers for legitimate companies, tricking users into sharing sensitive information.
*Case Study:* A user searches for a company’s customer support number, sees a convincing 1-800 number in the AI overview, and provides their credit card information to a scammer posing as a representative.
*Prevention Tip:* Never call a number displayed in the AI overview. Always verify the official number on the company’s website.
**5. Deepfake Videos, Images, and Voice Fraud**
AI’s advanced capabilities allow scammers to create convincing deepfakes, causing significant financial losses. Deepfakes can persuade people to make poor decisions, such as investing in cryptocurrencies based on fake endorsements from prominent figures.
*Case Study:* In 2024, New York Attorney General Leticia James warned investors about deepfake attacks involving cryptocurrency promotions.
*Prevention Tip:* MIT Media Lab suggests asking yourself questions like: Are the facial movements natural? Does the person’s blinking seem unnatural? Is there an unnatural glare or lack of glare on glasses? Do the person’s facial hair and other features look real?
**Staying Safe in the Age of AI Scams**
With AI-powered fraud on the rise, vigilance is crucial. Scams are becoming more sophisticated, as seen in voice cloning, automated spear phishing, deepfakes, and fake customer support numbers. By staying informed and following the prevention tips outlined above, you can protect yourself and your finances from these evolving threats.
