Scams involving artificial intelligence: types, how to detect them, and prevention measures

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, from virtual assistants at home to personalized recommendations while browsing the web. This technology undoubtedly simplifies life and opens up numerous opportunities across various fields. However, not everything is positive.

Just as we benefit from AI, cybercriminals exploit it as a powerful tool to refine their scams, making them far harder to detect. As a result, AI-enhanced scams are not only becoming more frequent but also increasingly complex and realistic, threatening the security of individuals, companies, and organizations worldwide.

In this article, I will discuss the main AI-driven scams, how to identify them, and, most importantly, what steps you can take to protect yourself. Being informed is the first step toward navigating today’s digital landscape with confidence and security

AI enables scammers to launch more realistic and personalized attacks. Some of the most prominent AI-influenced scams include:

• Deepfakes
  Deepfakes are manipulated videos that convince viewers they are seeing a specific person, whether anonymous or known, making statements or performing actions that never occurred. These videos are created using AI-powered tools or programs that swap faces in images and modify voices. Examples include simulating an executive’s voice during a call to authorize bank transfers, or mimicking a relative’s voice during a video call asking for emergency money.
• AI-powered phishing
  Cybercriminals use advanced language models to generate highly personalized emails and messages based on the victim’s data or identifying information. AI can also imitate the writing style of trusted individuals or institutions, increasing the chances the victim will share sensitive information or click malicious links.
• Fake chatbots
  Some cybercriminals create chatbots that realistically mimic legitimate customer support agents to steal personal data, login credentials, or banking details.
• Social media scams
  AI is used to generate fake profiles that send automated messages for romance scams, money requests, job offers, or to distribute malware via harmful links.

Despite their sophistication, AI-driven scams often exhibit telltale signs that can help us detect them.

• Pay close attention to subtle errors in audio, images, or text. Deepfakes and AI-generated messages may contain unnatural facial movements, robotic voices, or incoherent phrases.
• Be cautious of urgent or unusual requests, especially those demanding money, confidential information, or immediate actions under pressure.
• Look out for communication inconsistencies: sudden changes in writing style, messages sent at odd hours, or questions that don’t fit the context may indicate a scam.
• Finally, always scrutinize suspicious links and attachments. Emails or messages with shortened URLs, unexpected files, or redirects to unfamiliar websites deserve extra caution.

To protect yourself, use common sense to distinguish between normal and suspicious behavior, and combine this with tools and education.

• Before sharing sensitive information or making transfers, verify the authenticity and source of the request through alternate channels, especially if it’s urgent
• Stay informed about emerging threats and trends, and educate colleagues and family members on how to recognize scams.
• Use preventive security tools like antivirus software, spam filters, and identity verification solutions to detect threats before they cause any damage.
• Keep your systems, applications, and devices up to date to avoid vulnerabilities exploitable by malicious AI.
• Whenever possible, add extra security layers such as two-factor authentication (2FA), which can prevent unauthorized account access even if passwords are compromised through social engineering or phishing. 

Now, let’s look at a practical example to see how these scams can affect us daily. Imagine receiving a seemingly genuine video message from a distressed relative asking for an urgent money transfer due to a difficult situation or a medical emergency abroad. The phone number appears legitimate, and the Ai-generated voice mimics their tone, accent, and typical speech patterns. Pressure and the context convince you to trust the request. However, if you pause to verify via another method, like a direct message or a second call to their official number, you would uncover this as a deepfake scam, using audio or video clips taken from their social media. Such frauds are increasingly common worldwide.

Author: Adrían Sánchez