In our technology-driven world, where innovation often comes with hidden dangers, it’s crucial to understand the growing threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI) scams.
For example, the BBC has recently reported that fake companies have been using AI-generated images and fabricated back stories to imitate existing businesses in the UK. These scams lure in shoppers, leaving customers out of pocket and the business’s reputation in tatters.
Being scammed by AI is extremely distressing, both emotionally and financially, and it’s on the rise with increasingly advanced technology.
That’s why, as legal experts dedicated to your protection, our team of AI fraud lawyers believes it’s important to shine a light on these complex schemes that target both individuals and businesses. This guide will highlight how to recognise AI scams, the different types of AI fraud and how to seek legal support if you’ve been scammed.
What is an AI Scam?
An artificial intelligence scam is a fraudulent scheme that uses AI to create fake content – such as videos, digital copies, images or even voice recordings – to deceive you into believing they are someone else.
This type of scam tricks people with convincing content, often impersonating trusted legitimate companies, creating fake online profiles and creating personalised messages, which can be tricky to distinguish from the real thing.
Different Types of AI Scams
It’s important to recognise that there are different types of AI fraud scams to watch out for:
Deepfake Scams
Deepfake technology alters videos or images to make it seem like someone is doing or saying something they never did, like using Martin Lewis, a well-known financial expert, to recommend a fake crypto platform. Scammers use this to impersonate trusted figures, such as company executives or government officials, tricking victims into taking harmful actions like sending money or sharing personal information.
These fakes are so convincing that they can be hard to spot in everyday situations where you are not expecting to see them.
How to spot them: Keep an eye out for strange head movements or overly repetitive gestures, as these are red flags of deepfakes. Other tells are unnatural blinking patterns and robotic/monotone voices.
Real-Time Data Exploitation
Scammers use AI technology to analyse large amounts of data obtained through previous scams or data breaches in real-time. This allows them to customise their scams to individual targets, making them more believable and difficult to detect.
These types of AI fraud scams may even use personal details like your name, address, bank provider or even your medical history – anything they can steal from a data breach.
How to spot them: Try to catch them out by asking unexpected questions – if they hesitate or try to avoid the question, it could be an AI scam. If in doubt, reach out to the company in question to ensure it’s really them communicating with you.
Fake Voice Scams
AI-generated voices can mimic the speech of loved ones, leading victims to believe they’re in danger or urgently need financial help. They can do this through any form of audio, such as voicemail, social media content, videos or voice notes.
AI scammers exploit emotions, often convincing victims to send money or share personal details. They do this while leaving them believing their loved ones are at risk.
Voice scams can also imitate a legitimate organisation, such as a bank or HMRC, and request that you send money immediately.
How to spot them: If they’re impersonating a family member, ask them for details only they would know. Try to catch them out by asking unexpected questions; the answer won’t be prepared for.
AI-Generated Emails & Texts
Scammers use AI to create convincing emails and messages that look like they’re from legitimate sources like banks or government agencies.
These emails often request urgent financial information, tricking victims into revealing sensitive data like online banking details. Unlike many previous scam emails, AI emails can look almost identical to real emails, making them harder to recognise, as they tend to replicate the same tone and brand logo, for example, as the company.
How to spot them: Look out for unfamiliar senders, vague generic greetings, messages requiring you to act quickly with urgency or links/attachments that don’t look quite right. Always check the email address to see where the email has come from before interacting with it.
Fake AI-Generated Websites
Scammers can also deploy AI-powered bots to create realistic fake websites that look identical to genuine ones.
The websites created may pretend to be banks, pension providers or even government services, designed to trick you into thinking they’re a legitimate site and take your money.
How to spot them: Look out for any misspellings on fake websites or unusual messaging, suggesting you need to act with urgency. Be sure to also carefully check the URL.
AI Romance Scams
Criminals have also been using AI to create fake online dating profiles for romance scams – making people believe they are in a relationship with a real person, when, actually, they’re fakes.
The goal of this type of scam is to eventually build trust using realistic video and voice calls, and then ask the victim for money.
How to spot them: Remember, although it can be difficult to believe, if someone who seems too good to be true, they may be. If they’re keen to progress the relationship quickly or ask for money due to an “emergency”, these are red flag signs of romance scams.
Combatting Scams with AI
While AI is used by scammers, it also provides powerful tools for fighting fraud and keeping you safer online:
Advanced Detection Systems:
AI can detect scams across various platforms, alerting users and authorities to potential threats in real-time.
Natural Language Processing (NLP):
NLP algorithms analyse text and speech patterns to identify fraudulent communication and flag suspicious messages.
Behavioural Analysis:
AI-driven systems monitor user behaviour to detect irregular patterns, raising red flags for potential scams.
Image and Video Verification:
AI tools verify the authenticity of visual media, identifying signs of manipulation or deepfake technology to prevent the spread of false information.
Content created using AI can be indistinguishable from human-created content. Regardless of personal opinions about AI, it’s becoming an integral part of our lives – so we need to make sure we’re prepared to protect ourselves against scams.
What To Do If You’ve Been Scammed By AI
Document the scam
Whether it was a fake voice scam, social media deception or a deepfake, if you’ve been scammed by artificial intelligence, be sure to document as much evidence as possible. This could include screenshots, screen recordings, details about communications and links to fake websites or social media platforms.
The more evidence you have, the stronger your AI scam case will be.
Report it
Next, ensure that the scam has been reported. If the AI scam was impersonating an existing business, contact them directly to make them aware of the scam. They can then put extra security measures in place to ensure the same criminal cannot attack their customers in the future.
You can also report it to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) – the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime.
Make an AI scam claim
Finally, if you believe you have a strong case of an artificial intelligence scam, put your trust in dedicated fraud and scam solicitors, like CEL Solicitors. Our team of AI scam lawyers will help you seek the justice you deserve, working with you to achieve the best possible result.
Think You’ve Been Scammed? CEL Can Help
If you’ve fallen victim to an AI scam, it’s essential to understand that you’re not alone. These scams can happen to anyone, regardless of how tech-savvy they may be. It’s not your fault, and you may still be able to recover your lost money.
At CEL Solicitors, we’re dedicated to helping individuals recover from the financial losses inflicted by scammers. Our team of AI scam solicitors has assisted countless victims in seeking justice and reclaiming what is rightfully theirs.
Call 0330 173 0581 or begin your AI scam claim online.
