Cyber fraud is no longer limited to suspicious messages and easily detectable fake websites; scammers are now using artificial intelligence to create fake online stores, mimic voices, and produce deepfake videos that are indistinguishable from reality.
With the development of these technologies, spelling and grammatical errors have become less effective in detecting scams, as criminals can now draft professional, personalized messages to target victims and exploit their trust to defraud them financially.
Most prominent fraud methods
AI-powered fraud operations include creating shopping sites that appear reliable, displaying attractive images and products at tempting prices, but which may end up not delivering orders or sending poor-quality goods.
Scammers also use these technologies for romance scams, by gathering personal details and maintaining long conversations to build trust before requesting money or exploiting private information.
One of the most dangerous methods is voice cloning and deepfakes, where a scammer can impersonate a family member or friend, claiming an emergency that requires an immediate money transfer.
Furthermore, AI tools enable the creation of error-free phishing messages designed to target specific individuals, making them much harder to detect.
Steps to protect your money and data
Prevention begins with verifying the reliability of online stores before purchasing by reviewing contact information and addresses, and searching for independent reviews and information that confirm the company's existence and credibility.
One should contact companies through their official channels to verify suspicious offers and advertisements, especially job ads that request personal data or money.
In financial transactions, you must ensure the licenses of entities providing financial advice and avoid transferring money or sending gift cards to individuals whose identities have not been verified.
Also, hearing a familiar voice or seeing someone via a video call should not be considered definitive proof of their identity, as recordings or images may be faked using AI technologies.
Caution is the best form of prevention
The most important rule is not to rush when receiving a financial request or a message asking for sensitive information, no matter how convincing or urgent it may seem. When in doubt, it is advised to contact the person concerned via a previously known number and verify the request from an independent source before taking any action.
Scammers rely on exploiting fear, trust, and urgency; therefore, pausing for a moment and verifying the details can be enough to avoid financial losses and protect personal data.
