4 AI-Powered Scams Exposed: How to Prevent

AI is a hot topic nowadays. For some, it’s really helpful. Meanwhile, others are concerned about the very real risks that come with it. One risk is the rise of AI-powered scams. Developers trained machines to sound human. And did you know what scammers said? They said, “PERFECT!”

The 4 types of AI-powered scams are: 1) AI website cloning, 2) voice cloning, 3) deepfake video, and 4) synthetic fraud.

AI scams are becoming more common. Feedzai, a leader in AI financial crime prevention, reported that over 50% of fraud is AI-powered. This is why it’s important, now more than ever, that we familiarize ourselves with the types of AI scams. You have to know what you’re dealing with.

One type is the AI-powered website cloning. This is where scammers use AI to replicate a legitimate website—including its structure, design, layout, and even the functionality.

Scammers do this by using AI to study HTML codes, URLs, and screenshots of the websites. This allows the AI to study every element (e.g., fonts, spacing, colors, etc.). They use available AI tools that can generate editable codes that are at least 90% accurate. This allows scammers to prototype or copy real websites in minutes.

While some use this for ethical purposes, such as pitching designs to clients, scammers exploit this for impersonation.

In a recent case, security researchers discovered a live network of scam websites—copies of websites from legitimate law firms. There are over 150 related domains. These were discovered after a law firm reached out to the security researchers concerning several websites copying their brand.

The domains were deployed behind Cloudflare and registered through multiple registrars. Each website used a distinct certificate. These make them obscure.

According to the researchers, scammers aim to target previous victims of fraud, looking for legal assistance.

This case shows us how AI empowers scammers. It allows bad actors to create and launch highly sophisticated and large-scale attacks.

You should also look out for AI voice cloning scams. This is where scammers use artificial intelligence to copy someone's voice—it can be your relatives, friends, or even a boss. So, when they contact you, you'll likely trust them and provide what they're asking for (money or information).

This scam is possible because scammers have access to tools and training data. They can easily find audio samples online, from your social media accounts and video-sharing platforms (e.g., YouTube and TikTok). They can use one video clip, feed it to AI, and then they'll have the cloned voice in minutes.

Scammers call their target, often claiming to be in an emergency. They'll ask for your money or information, but once you give them what they want, scammers will just disappear.

Scammers can also clone our faces. This has a similar process to voice cloning. Scammers just need to find video samples that they can feed to AI, and then they can create more videos with someone you know in them. They use the video clone for extortion, phishing, and fraud.

In a case reported by CNN, a finance worker was targeted with the deepfake video scam. He was in a meeting with someone he thought was his Chief Financial Officer, asking him to transfer $25 million. Believing it was really his boss, the worker complied. As it turned out, it was scammers using a deepfake video.

This case highlights how believable or realistic deepfake videos are. And the thing is, AI cloning will only get better as it receives more data for training.

Lastly, synthetic fraud. This is where scammers combine AI-generated information and real information. They get real information from various sources, such as the following:

What scammers do is they use the information they found on you, and mix it with AI-generated information to create fake identities (or fake synthetic personas). They use these for taking out loans or opening accounts under your name, impacting your identity and finances in the future.

So, how can you protect yourself from AI-powered scams? Here are some tips to avoid being scammed:

• Tip No. 1: Know the Red Flags: While it's hard to spot AI scams, it's not impossible. Some signs you can look out for are:
  • Urgency: Scammers like to pressure their targets to prompt immediate action.
  • Unusual requests: Be skeptical if they're asking for unusual requests (e.g., money via gift cards).
  • Robotic phrasing: AI content still uses odd tones or word choices.
  • Unnatural details: For deepfake video or images, look for strange lighting, background noises, or facial movements.
    
• Tip No. 2: Be Prepared: The more you know, the more prepared you become. So, educate yourself about scams, prevention strategies, and recovery options.
  
• Tip No. 3: Limit Data Sharing: As you've learned, AI scams rely on personal information. So, the best way to protect yourself is to limit the information you share online.
  
• Tip No. 4: Slow Down and Verify: Stay calm, and focus on verifying. Call official numbers, and directly reach out to the people you trust.
  
• Tip No. 5: Trust Your Gut: Trust your intuition. If something feels off, then you should trust that feeling and back off.

AI-powered scams are on the rise. But that doesn't mean that you can't do anything about it. Remember the 5 tips we've shared in this blog to protect yourself.

The top five scams in 2025 are: 1) Fake banking apps and websites, 2) AI-powered bank scams, 3) Wire transfer scams, 4) Text scams or smishing, and 5) Check/Deposit scams.

The most recent top five text message scams are: 1) “Little gift” scams, 2) Fake job offers, 3) Amazon security text scam, 4) Package delivery text scam, and 5) Bank fraud alert scams.

The potential sentence varies depending on the government and the type of fraud committed. For instance, the federal government prosecutes mail fraud with a jail term of up to 20 years. Meanwhile, you can go to jail for up to 30 years if you commit bank fraud.