Cybercriminals Are Leveraging AI Into Their Scams!

By Jeff Samay, Founder & CEO of Skill Developers

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize industries, it’s not just businesses and innovators that are benefiting. Scammers are also tapping into AI’s power to create more sophisticated and dangerous schemes, preying on unsuspecting victims. In 2025, AI is no longer just a tool for innovation; it’s a weapon for cybercriminals, helping them manipulate, deceive, and exploit people more effectively than ever before. In this blog, we’ll explore the alarming reality of how scammers are using AI and what you can do to protect yourself.

AI-Powered Phishing: A New Level of Deception

Phishing, the practice of tricking individuals into revealing personal information or transferring money, is nothing new. But AI has taken this form of scam to new heights. Scammers are now using AI-driven software to craft hyper-realistic emails, messages, and even websites that look almost identical to trusted brands, banks, or government organizations.

Over-reliance on the same technological supply chains creates vulnerabilities where a single compromised entity could cascade into widespread disruption. “Organizations must prepare not only for internal incidents but also for vulnerabilities in their supply chains,” Kozlovski urged. He cited examples like Change Health’s breach and CrowdStrike’s outage, which inflicted over $1 billion in damages in 2024.

How AI enhances phishing attacks:

• Personalization: Scammers can now gather data from social media and other sources to create personalized messages. AI can comb through your posts, emails, or even public data and use that to craft a scam message that feels tailor-made for you.
• Deepfake Technology: Using AI-generated video or voice cloning, scammers can impersonate loved ones or executives, convincing victims to send money or share sensitive information. For instance, an AI could create a video of a friend asking for help, or use a deepfake of your boss requesting an urgent transfer.

Deepfakes: The Face of the Future Scam

Deepfakes, or AI-generated videos that can convincingly alter the appearance of a person’s face or voice, are one of the most concerning tools in the scammer’s arsenal. These fake videos can be used to impersonate anyone—from public figures to personal acquaintances—making it incredibly difficult for a victim to discern between reality and fiction.

Scammers can use deepfake videos in various ways:

• Fake Video Calls: Using AI, scammers can create a video call from a seemingly trustworthy source—say, your bank’s customer service department or a friend. By using a deepfake of a familiar face, they trick victims into sharing personal details, transferring money, or clicking on malicious links.
• Fake News and Misinformation: In addition to personal scams, deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation or cause panic. AI-generated videos of public figures saying things they never actually said could lead to financial panic, stock manipulation, or even political unrest.

AI Chatbots: The Fake Customer Service Agent

AI-powered chatbots are widely used by businesses to handle customer service inquiries efficiently. However, scammers have found a way to exploit these same tools to run large-scale scams. AI chatbots can be used to pose as customer support agents from legitimate companies, offering "assistance" to individuals and extracting sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal identification details.

How AI chatbots are used in scams:

• Fake Tech Support: Scammers use AI to impersonate tech support agents from well-known companies like Microsoft or Apple. They convince victims their computer has a virus, offering to fix it for a fee—or worse, infecting their system with malware.
• Fake E-Commerce: Scammers can create AI-powered bots to impersonate legitimate online store representatives, convincing users to provide payment details or click on links that install malicious software.

AI-Generated Fake Reviews: Manipulating Trust

Scammers are also using AI to create fake reviews on websites, social media platforms, and e-commerce sites. AI can generate hundreds, even thousands, of fake reviews in minutes, making a product or service appear more trustworthy than it really is.

AI systems can analyze real reviews and replicate the language, tone, and structure, ensuring these fake reviews are harder to spot. For example, an AI might generate hundreds of glowing reviews for a fraudulent product or service, leading unsuspecting customers to make a purchase. These AI-generated fake reviews are often found on platforms like Amazon, Yelp, or Trustpilot.

How AI-generated fake reviews affect consumers:

• Deceptive Products: Consumers may buy subpar or fraudulent products, thinking they are getting something highly rated by others.
• Financial Scams: Fake reviews can also promote scam websites offering fake services or investments, causing victims to lose money.

AI in Social Engineering and Cyberattacks

Social engineering scams rely on psychological manipulation to trick individuals into divulging confidential information. AI can enhance these attacks by processing vast amounts of data quickly and creating hyper-targeted social engineering strategies. Scammers can use AI to:

• Analyze a victim's online behavior and interactions to predict vulnerabilities.
• Develop scams that appeal to specific emotions or situations, such as pretending to be a charity in times of crisis.
• Automate attacks to scale up quickly, targeting millions of people with customized scams.

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?

With AI-powered scams on the rise, it’s crucial to stay vigilant. Here are some tips to help you protect yourself:

• Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Communication: Always question unexpected emails, texts, or phone calls, especially if they ask for money or personal information.
• Use Multi-Factor Authentication: Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts can make it harder for scammers to access your data, even if they have your login details.
• Watch Out for Deepfakes: If something doesn’t seem right in a video or audio message, it might be a deepfake. Double-check with the person directly before taking action.
• Educate Yourself and Others: Make sure you and your loved ones are aware of the risks of AI-powered scams and take steps to stay safe online.
• Report Suspicious Activity: If you encounter a scam, report it to the appropriate authorities or platforms to help prevent further incidents.

Conclusion

As AI technology continues to advance, scammers are finding new ways to exploit it for malicious purposes. From deepfakes to AI-driven phishing attacks, these scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, making it harder to distinguish between what's real and what's not. By staying informed, being cautious with your personal information, and leveraging tools like multi-factor authentication, you can protect yourself from falling victim to AI-driven scams. The future of cybersecurity will rely heavily on our ability to adapt to these new threats and stay one step ahead of the scammers.

Stay safe, stay smart, and always question the authenticity of what you see online.

Rubinstein, Carrie. "Top Cyber Threats to Watch Out for in 2025." Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/carrierubinstein/2024/12/30/top-cyber-threats-to-watch-out-for-in-2025/

#CyberSecurity #AI #OnlineSafety #PhishingScams #Deepfakes #IT #CISO