Artificial Intelligence and the Evolution of Cybercrime

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more advanced, it’s not just businesses and developers taking advantage of its capabilities. Scammers are leveraging AI to make their schemes more convincing, sophisticated, and difficult to detect. From hyper-realistic fake voices to AI-generated phishing emails, here’s what you need to know to stay ahead of these evolving threats.

How Scammers Are Using AI

Scammers are leveraging AI tools to create highly personalized, believable, and automated scams. They use deepfake technology to produce realistic video or audio clips that impersonate executives or public figures, often for CEO fraud or ransom schemes. AI also powers phishing emails, now polished and tailored with personal details, and chatbots capable of conducting convincing social engineering attacks by mimicking trusted contacts. Additionally, voice cloning allows scammers to replicate someone’s voice with just a few seconds of audio, enabling them to impersonate family members in distress to solicit emergency funds.

AI Scams are Harder to Spot Because They Are:

• Personalized: AI can analyze data from social media profiles and online activity to tailor scams to your life.
• Fast and Scalable: Scammers can use AI to automate large-scale attacks, targeting thousands of people with minimal effort.
• Convincing: “Criminals can clone voices with just an hour of YouTube footage and an $11 subscription, making phone-based scams much more convincing.”¹

Protection

To protect yourself from AI-powered scams, always verify requests independently. Contact the person or organization through a trusted channel, especially if the request seems urgent. Be skeptical of unexpected communications, even if they appear to come from someone you know. Strengthen account security with strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication. Educate yourself about AI scams to recognize red flags, and limit the personal information you share online to avoid being targeted. If you suspect a scam, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov, notify your financial institutions, and alert your friends and family.

As scammers continue to innovate with AI, so must our defenses. Security professionals are developing AI-driven tools to detect fraudulent activity, but awareness and vigilance remains key. By understanding how scammers operate and taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you can stay one step ahead in this evolving battle. 

^{1. Manky, Derek et al. “Beyond Phishing: Exploring the Rise of AI-enabled Cybercrime” CLTC Berkely, January 2025, https://cltc.berkeley.edu/2025/01/16/beyond-phishing-exploring-the-rise-of-ai-enabled-cybercrime/}