Artificial intelligence isn’t creating new scams—it’s making the old ones far more convincing.
When people hear about artificial intelligence (AI), they often think about the everyday benefits: writing emails, creating presentations, or answering complex questions in seconds. However, cybercriminals are just as excited about AI, but for a very different reason.
AI has become a dangerous force multiplier for cybercriminals. It allows scammers to create more believable frauds, target more victims simultaneously, and operate faster than ever before.
The good news? Once you understand how criminals are using AI, you’ll be much better prepared to recognize the red flags and avoid these attacks. Here are five of the most common ways criminals are using AI to steal your money.
1. Generating Perfect Phishing Emails
For years, one of the easiest ways to spot an email scam was poor grammar and awkward wording. Those days are over.
Today, AI can instantly generate professional-looking phishing emails that are grammatically correct, personalized, and free of obvious mistakes. AI can even analyze and imitate the specific writing style of a company you trust, a coworker, or a family member. Instead of receiving an email that obviously looks fake, victims now receive deceptive messages that appear completely legitimate.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Be suspicious of unexpected requests involving money, sensitive data, or passwords.
- Verify requests using a trusted phone number—not the contact information provided in the email.
- Slow down. Cybercriminals rely on creating a false sense of urgency.
2. Using AI Voice Cloning for Imposter Scams
One of the fastest-growing and most terrifying AI scams involves voice cloning.
Criminals only need a few seconds of someone’s voice—often scraped from YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or even voicemail greetings—to create a highly convincing audio copy. Imagine receiving a frantic phone call that sounds exactly like your son, daughter, or grandchild, claiming they’ve been arrested or were in an accident and need money immediately. The voice sounds real because it is a highly accurate, AI-generated clone.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Never send money based solely on an unexpected or frantic phone call.
- Call the person back directly using a trusted phone number you already have saved.
- Establish a family “safe word” that only your relatives know to verify identities during an emergency.
3. Creating Deepfake Photos and Documents
AI can now generate realistic photos, videos, and legal documents in minutes. Scammers use these “deepfake” tools to:
- Create fake identification documents.
- Produce fraudulent driver’s licenses.
- Build incredibly convincing social media profiles.
- Generate fake investment “success stories” with charts and testimonials.
- Support romance scams with believable, yet entirely fabricated, images.
Just because you can see it on a screen doesn’t mean it’s real anymore.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Verify identities thoroughly before sending any money.
- Be cautious of online relationships that quickly escalate into emotional or financial requests.
- Don’t rely on photos or videos alone as proof of identity or legitimacy.
4. Supercharging Romance and Investment Scams
AI allows criminals to communicate with hundreds—or even thousands—of victims simultaneously. Instead of struggling to write convincing, ongoing messages, scammers use AI chatbots to maintain realistic conversations around the clock.
Victims often believe they’re talking with a financial expert, a military officer overseas, a successful entrepreneur, or a romantic partner. In reality, much of the conversation may be entirely generated by AI software.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Never invest money based on conversations that began with a stranger online.
- Be extremely skeptical when someone you’ve never met in person asks for financial help.
- Remember the golden rule: if an online contact asks for money, it’s almost certainly a scam.
5. Using AI to Research and Target Victims
AI can gather enormous amounts of publicly available information in mere seconds. Criminals use AI tools to quickly learn:
- Where you work
- The names of your family members
- Your hobbies and interests
- Your recent vacations
- Your professional contacts
- Your daily social media activity
That information helps them craft highly personalized, targeted scams (known as spear-phishing) that appear authentic. The scam feels real because it includes accurate, intimate details about your life.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Limit what you share publicly on social media and the internet.
- Review and tighten your social media privacy settings.
- Be cautious about accepting friend or connection requests from people you don’t know in real life.
The Real Danger Isn’t AI—It’s Trust
While technology evolves, artificial intelligence hasn’t changed the core psychology of fraud. Criminals still rely on the exact same emotions they’ve exploited for decades: fear, urgency, excitement, curiosity, love, and greed.
AI simply makes these scams faster, cheaper, and much more believable. The best defense against AI scams is the same as it has always been: Slow down. Verify before you trust.
If someone pressures you to act immediately, requests unusual forms of payment (like gift cards or cryptocurrency), or tells you to keep a secret, there is a very high chance you are dealing with a scam.
About Jeff Lanza
Jeff Lanza is a retired FBI Special Agent who spent more than 20 years investigating cybercrime, organized crime, terrorism, and human trafficking. Today, he speaks to businesses, financial institutions, and community organizations across the country about the latest fraud schemes and the practical steps people can take to protect themselves from cybercrime.
Protect Your Organization from AI Scams
Want to help your employees, clients, or organization stay ahead of today’s AI-powered scams? Contact Jeff Lanza today to schedule a keynote or webinar on cybercrime, identity theft, and fraud prevention.