As technology develops, consumers become increasingly vulnerable to scams. Gone are the days where Nigerian princes needed your help accessing their foreign bank accounts. Now scammers can use AI to replicate voices, faces, and set up increasingly detailed and authentic looking emails and even websites. AI-powered scams are such a threat that the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center issued its 2025 report with a section dedicated to AI.

It’s important to stay more vigilant than ever now that scammers have access to AI technology. Here’s what you need to know about the most common AI scams and the ways to avoid them.
 

NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH THE SAME OLD STRATEGIES

With AI rapidly improving, it may seem increasingly impossible to tell the difference between what is fraudulent and legitimate. But it is important to remember that while tech develops, scammers must still rely on a set number of strategies. No matter how advanced technology gets, they still must convince you to click on a link, or believe that your child needs bail. Because of this, scammers must hit the same beats time and time again, and if you are able to recognize the signs, it gets a lot easier to see past the advanced tech to the scam waiting within. So, what are some of these strategies?

 

• Personalization: Scammers will often try to gather information about you to make themselves seem more trustworthy. They’ll use this knowledge to exploit your emotions: Such as frightening you by pretending to be a family member in trouble or reassuring you by being aware of who you bank with.

• Impersonating trusted organizations or authorities: Scammers will pose as anything from banks to your boss. They want to create a sense of legitimacy by using official-looking emails, websites and logos when contacting you, so that you’ll be more willing to adhere to their requests.

• Urgency: Scammers want you to act before you think. To accomplish this, they’re going to try to evoke a sense of urgency in you by pressuring you to act quickly. This is why many scams include a time limit or threats of imminent penalties. They don’t want you to have time to verify information.

• Emotional manipulation: Aside from evoking a sense of urgency and fear, scammers will also try to exploit emotions such as empathy and even romantic interest. They might pose as fake charities—especially during times of crisis or immediately after a disaster—or a false online friend or significant other.

Scammers succeed by combining trust, urgency, and emotional manipulation. Be on the lookout for any offer, solicitation, task, or request that forces you to act immediately, even if it appears legitimate. Most legitimate organizations will give you more than 24 hours to resolve an unpaid bill or pay a fine. Always wait and verify information before acting.
 

COMMON AI SCAMS TO WATCH OUT FOR

• Imposter deepfakes: Scammers use AI to compile data to create fake photos and videos that look and sound real. It is common for them to create fakes of either people you know in real life, or of famous celebrities and public figures. There have been cases of this technology being used to set up fraudulent interviews, where scammers impersonate real executives to steal the interviewee’s personal information.

• Romance scams: AI technology is used to create a profile on social media or dating sites. Once the victim is invested in this fake relationship, the scammer will start asking for money or advising them to invest in an opportunity. Oftentimes in a romance scam, scammers devote a lot of time and effort in making the relationship feel believable.

• Finfluencers: Some finance influencers who advertise their own investments on their feeds or push crypto may be scammers. They can use AI to fake credentials on their profile or use it to create fake followers to add legitimacy to their profiles.

• Fake websites: Scammers lure victims in by sending phishing emails or advertising offers such as high-return investment opportunities or giveaways with appealing prizes. These ads will then take victims to an AI-generated website that looks so real, many people don’t realize it’s fraudulent. Once at the website, the victim may be prompted to enter their personal information, leading to identity theft or financial fraud.

STAY SKEPTICAL, EVEN WHEN IT LOOKS REAL

AI may be making scams more sophisticated, but it hasn’t changed the fundamentals of how scammers operate. They still rely on trust, fear, urgency and emotional manipulation to get you to act before you have time to think.

When something feels off, take a step back. Don’t click the link, send the money or share your personal information until you’ve had a chance to verify that the request is legitimate. If someone you know appears to be contacting you with an unusual request, reach out to them using a phone number or method you already have—not the information provided in the suspicious message.

And remember: seeing is no longer necessarily believing. A familiar voice, realistic photo, convincing video or professional-looking website can all be created or manipulated with AI.

The best defense is to slow down, question unexpected requests and verify before you act. Technology will continue to evolve, but a healthy dose of skepticism can help you stay one step ahead of the scam.