How to Protect Yourself from AI Scams

4 Min. Read

Scammers have always relied on deception, impersonation, and creating a false sense of urgency. Now, AI is making those tactics more believable and more widespread.

The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report revealed that more than 22,000 AI-related complaints and $893 million in losses were reported in 2025. From fake social media profiles to voice cloning to convincing deep-fake videos, AI is facilitating scams in many convincing ways.

The good news is that you don’t need to become an expert at identifying AI-generated content to protect yourself. The best defense is learning to spot the red flags that often signal a scam. We explain how scammers use AI, what to watch for, and steps to protect yourself.

How Scammers Are Using AI

AI is making scams harder to recognize. Using generative AI tools, bad actors are impersonating people you know, generating fake videos, and writing convincing messages—and these scams are spreading faster and more widely than ever before.

Some of the most common AI-generated scams include:

• Voice Cloning & Deep Fakes

• Voice cloning is being used to impersonate family, friends, coworkers, or other trusted individuals, and deep-fake images and videos can create convincing impersonations. Sometimes the impersonation involves well-known businesses, financial institutions, or government agencies, and even fake celebrity endorsements.

• Smarter Phishing & Text Scams

• Generative AI eliminates the poor grammar and spelling mistakes that used to be scam red flags. Now, scammers are sending polished emails and text messages, and they often feel highly personalized. AI can scan your digital footprint to create tailored messages that reference real jobs, hobbies, or locations.

• Fake Profiles & Online Marketplaces

• Convincing-looking fake profiles and messages are being used in romance, investment, and other relationship-based scams. Criminals are also building replica websites that mimic trading platforms, crypto apps, and e-commerce sites.

AI Scam Red Flags

Many AI scams aren’t new scams, but technology is making them more convincing. AI-generated content is easier than ever to make and increasingly difficult to detect. This allows criminals to potentially conduct more—and more successful—fraud schemes.

These red flags may indicate that you’re dealing with a fraudster:

• Unexpected Contact

• Proceed with caution if someone unexpectedly reaches out from a new or unfamiliar phone number, email address, or account. The contact may actually be from a bad actor impersonating someone you know.

• Urgency or Emotional Pressure

• Scammers lure you into taking action by claiming an emergency, such as someone you care about is in trouble, or your bank account has been compromised. They’ll insist that you must act now.

• Requests for Money or Sensitive Information

• Any demand for money or personal information should be treated as suspect, especially requests for unusual payment methods or login credentials and security codes.

• Requests to Move the Conversation

• Platforms where contact is initiated—like social media, dating sites, or online marketplaces—often have fraud detection in place. Fraudsters may try to move a conversation to a private messaging app like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal, making the scam harder to detect or interrupt.

• Something Doesn’t Quite Fit

• AI-generated content has advanced to the point that it can be difficult to identify when something isn’t quite right. But be vigilant: if the person’s words, behavior, or request seem unusual, listen to your gut.

How to Protect Yourself from AI Scams

One of the most common tactics scammers use is creating a false sense of urgency. That’s why the FBI urges you to “Take a Beat” if you’re confronted with a potential scam: resist the pressure to act, pause, and assess the situation.

If you suspect a scam, take these actions:

• Stop Communicating

• The most important thing to do if you encounter an AI scam is to cut off communication immediately; simply hang up or close the chat. Also avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from suspicious messages.

• Don’t Send Money or Share Data

• Never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire information. Likewise, don’t share any passwords, PINs, one-time passcodes, or other credentials with a suspected scammer.

• Verify the Contact Independently

• Attempt to independently contact the person or organization using verified, official contact information. Never use the phone number or links provided by the potential fraudster.

• Secure Your Accounts

• If you believe an account has been compromised, change your passwords immediately and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). Contact your financial institution immediately to freeze your account.

• Preserve Evidence & Report Fraud

• Preserve evidence of the scam by taking screenshots of messages and saving phone numbers, emails, URLs, or transaction details. File a report with consumer protection agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or local authorities.

It’s also wise to take proactive measures to prevent scams. Talk with family members about how you’ll verify unusual or emergency requests, for example, using a pass phrase only trusted individuals know. Also be cautious about the information you make publicly available, since criminals use personal details to make scams more convincing.

Did you know? IdentityTheft.gov is the federal government’s one-stop resource for identity theft victims.

Marine Credit Union: Helping You Stay Safe from Scams

Technology may be making scams more convincing, but the basics of staying safe haven’t changed: slow down, pause, and assess the situation. Resisting pressure to react quickly can help you protect yourself and your finances.

For more detailed guidance on prevention, recovery, and protecting yourself and your loved ones from scams, visit our full library of fraud protection resources. And if you’re ever unsure whether a communication claiming to come from Marine Credit Union is legitimate, contact us directly through a trusted channel before providing information or taking action.