AI & Technology
How to Spot an AI-Powered Scam
Fake voices and polished messages are easier to make now. The warning signs that still work, and what to do.
AI tools make it cheap to write a convincing message, copy someone's writing style or even imitate a voice from a short recording. Scammers can use the same tools as everyone else, so spelling mistakes and clumsy grammar are no longer reliable warning signs. The signs that still work are about what a message asks you to do.
The warning signs that still work
- Urgency. "Act now", "your account closes today" or "I'm in trouble, send money fast" is designed to stop you thinking.
- Money in an unusual form, such as gift cards, a payment app, cryptocurrency or a transfer to someone you have never met.
- A request for a code or password. A real bank, school or employer will not ask you to read out a one-time code.
- Secrecy. "Don't tell anyone" is a warning sign on its own.
- A link or attachment you were not expecting, even from a name you know.
Voices and videos can be faked
A short clip of someone's voice, such as a video posted online, can be enough for software to imitate it. A call that sounds like a friend or relative asking for urgent help deserves the same check as a text message from a stranger.
Example
A quick check (hypothetical)
Sam gets a call that sounds like an older cousin: their phone is broken and they need $200 for a bus ticket home. Instead of sending money, Sam hangs up and calls the cousin's usual number. The cousin answers from home. One habit, hanging up and checking another way, stopped the scam.
What to do
- Pause. Nothing real is harmed by waiting ten minutes.
- Check through a second channel. Call the person on a number you already have, or open the account through its own app or website instead of the link in the message.
- Agree on a family code word for emergencies that only your family knows.
- Tell a trusted adult, and report the message on the platform where it arrived.
- If you already paid or shared a code, contact your bank or the account provider straight away.
Using AI tools yourself?
The lesson Using AI responsibly covers what never to paste in.