AI scams and fraud: 5 trends to look out for as 2025 ends
kAmpCE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 92D C646:G65 H:56DAC625 25@AE:@? :? :?5FDEC:6D 24C@DD E96 8=@36] (9:=6 E96 9@A6 :D E92E E96D6 E@@=D H:== @?=J 36 FD65 7@C 8@@5[ E96 C62=:EJ :D E92E >2?J A6@A=6 H:== FD6 E96> 7@C 92C>] px\A@H6C65 D42>D 2?5 7C2F5 2C6 364@>:?8 :?4C62D:?8=J 4@>>@?[ 2?5 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]73:]8@G^?6HD^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^73:\C6=62D6D\2??F2=\:?E6C?6E\4C:>6\C6A@CEQmuqx 92D C6A@CE65k^2m E92E :?E6C?6E 4C:>6 =@DD6D C@D6 bbT :? a_ac 7C@> a_ab]k^Am
kAmr@?DF>6CD ?665 E@ 36 2H2C6 @7 H2JD E@ AC@E64E E96>D6=G6D] %92E 368:?D H:E9 2H2C6?6DD] u@C E9:D DE@CJ[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]ECJ=:768F2C5]4@>^Qm{:768F2C5k^2m 4@>A:=65 :?7@C>2E:@? @? 7:G6 4@?DF>6C D42> EC6?5D E92E 92G6 6>6C865 :? a_ad]k^Am
k9bm`] q:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD 2C6 36:?8 =@DE E@ 4J36C4C:>6k^9bm
kAmrJ36C4C:>6 :D 2 >2DD:G6 :?5FDECJ[ H:E9 3:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD 36:?8 =@DE 6G6CJ D:?8=6 J62C] %9:D E@E2= :D @?=J 8C@H:?8] x? a_ac[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]:4b]8@G^p??F2=#6A@CE^#6A@CED^a_ac0xrb#6A@CE]A57QmE96 uqx x?E6C?6E rC:>6 r@>A=2:?E r6?E6C C6A@CE65k^2m S`e]e 3:==:@? :? =@DD6D] %9:D ?F>36C H2D E96 DF> E@E2= @7 gdh[dba 4@>A=2:?ED >256 E92E J62C]k^Am
kAm%9:D :D 2 bbT :?4C62D6 7C@> E96 AC6G:@FD J62C[ :?5:42E:?8 2 C:D6 :? 4J36CD64FC:EJ E9C62ED] ~7 E92E S`e]e 3:==:@?[ gbT H2D 5F6 E@ 4J36C\6?23=65 7C2F5] tI2>A=6D @7 E9:D 42? :?4=F56 A9:D9:?8[ :56?E:EJ E967E[ 2?5 C2?D@>H2C6]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m(92E E9:D >62?D 7@C 4@?DF>6CDik^DEC@?8m %96 DF3DE2?E:2= C:D6 :? @?=:?6 7C2F5 2?5 E96 D6G6C:EJ @7 =@DD6D 9:89=:89E E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 4@?DF>6C G:8:=2?46]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@?DF>6C AC@E64E:@? E:ADik^DEC@?8m %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]75:4]8@G^4@?DF>6C\C6D@FC46\46?E6C^a_a`\`_^2G@:5:?8\D42>D\2?5\D42>>6CDQmu656C2= s6A@D:E x?DFC2?46 r@CA@C2E:@? @776CD 2 G2C:6EJ @7 4J36CD64FC:EJ E:ADk^2m 7@C 4@?DF>6CD E@ 7@==@H E@ <66A E96>D6=G6D AC@E64E65]k^Am
kF=mk=:m}6G6C @A6? 6>2:=D 7C@> A6@A=6 J@F 5@?’E <?@H]k^=:mk=:mq6 42C67F= H:E9 =:?<D 2?5 H63D:E6D E92E 2AA62C E@ 92G6 2 ?6H DA6==:?8]k^=:mk=:m&E:=:K6 AC6G6?E2E:G6 D@7EH2C6 7@C E9C62E 56E64E:@? 2?5 C6>@G2=]k^=:mk^F=m
k9bma] px\86?6C2E65 D42>D 2C6 DH:?5=:?8 G:4E:>D >@C6 62D:=Jk^9bm
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]46?EC2=32?<]?6E^=62C?:?8\46?E6C^D64FC:EJ^6>6C8:?8\EC6?5D^E96\C:D6\@7\2:\6?92?465\D42>D^Qmr6?EC2= q2?< 2?5 tIA6C:2?k^2m 6IA64E E92E px H:== >2<6 7C2F5 62D:6C E92? 6G6C E@ 4@?5F4E] s66A72<6 E649?@=@8J[ px\86?6C2E65 A9:D9:?8 6>2:=D[ 2?5 @E96C 2EE24<D 2C6 2== 364@>:?8 4@>>@?A=246] px 92D 2? :??2E6 23:=:EJ E@ =62C? 7C@> A2DE 6IA6C:6?46D[ 6?23=:?8 :E E@ 4C62E6 >@C6 D@A9:DE:42E65 7C2F5 2EE6>AED H:E9 6249 :E6C2E:@?]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>6C:H6DE]4@>^@FC\DE@CJ^D42>\2=6CED^C:D6\2:\A@H6C65\D42>D\a_ad\9@H\AC@E64E\J@FCD6=7Qm|6C:H6DE rC65:E &?:@? DE2E6Dk^2m E92E :? a_ab[ a_T @7 E96 A6@A=6 E2C86E65 3J :>A@DE6C D42>D =@DE >@?6J] %9:D A6C46?E286 H:== @?=J C:D6 2D E96 E9C62ED 364@>6 :?4C62D:?8=J 4@?G:?4:?8]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m%96 86?6C2E:@?2= 5:G:56ik^DEC@?8m x?E6C6DE:?8=J[ 86?6C2E:@?D E92E 92G6 >@C6 6IA@DFC6 E@ E9:D EJA6 @7 E649?@=@8J 2C6 ?@E 36EE6C 2E 56E64E:?8 D42>D] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E:>6]4@>^eg_a_``^86?\K\7:?2?4:2=\D42>D\7C2F5^Qm%:>6[ :? 2? 2?2=JD:D @7 2 s6=@:EE6 DEF5J 7C@> a_ab[ 7@F?5k^2m E92E v6? + :?5:G:5F2=D 2C6 E9C66 E:>6D >@C6 =:<6=J E92? 323J 3@@>6CD E@ 72== 7@C 2? @?=:?6 D42>]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@?DF>6C AC@E64E:@? E:ADik^DEC@?8m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?J4]8@G^D:E6^542^4@?DF>6CD^2CE:7:4:2=\:?E6==:86?46\D42>\E:AD]A286Qm}*r]8@Gk^2m @776CD :?D:89ED @? 2 76H 4=62C D:8?D E92E J@F >2J 36 2 E2C86E @7 2? px D42>] %96D6 :?4=F56 36:?8 4@?E24E65 @FE @7 E96 3=F6[ 36:?8 AC6DDFC65 E@ E2<6 24E:@? :>>65:2E6=J[ 92G:?8 A6CD@?2= 2?5 AC:G2E6 :?7@C>2E:@? C6BF6DE65[ 2?5 36:?8 2D<65 E@ <66A E96 4@?G6CD2E:@? AC:G2E6]k^Am
k9bmb] px 4@>A2?:6D 2C6 E2<:?8 24E:@? E@ AC6G6?E >:DFD6k^9bm
kAm~?6 4=62C D:8? E92E px :D 6G@=G:?8 2?5 36:?8 FD65 :? D42>D :D E96 :?5FDECJ’D C624E:@?] u@C 6I2>A=6[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]C6FE6CD]4@>^3FD:?6DD^C6E2:=\4@?DF>6C^2?E9C@A:4\E9H2CED\924<6C\2EE6>AED\>:DFD6\4=2F56\2:\4J36C4C:>6\a_ad\_g\af^Qm#6FE6CD C6A@CE65k^2m E92E p?E9C@A:4[ 2 =6256C :? E96 px DA246[ 925 DF446DD7F==J 3=@4<65 924<6CD H9@ H6C6 ECJ:?8 E@ FD6 r=2F56 px[ E96:C px\A@H6C65 HC:E:?8 E@@=[ E@ HC:E6 A9:D9:?8 6>2:=D 2?5 924<:?8\C6=2E65 4@56] p4E:@?D E2<6? :?4=F565 32??:?8 46CE2:? 244@F?ED 2?5 :>AC@G:?8 7:=E6CD]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@H px :D 36:?8 H62A@?:K65ik^DEC@?8m %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^:E]H:D4]65F^?6HD^2:\A@H6C65\D42>D\9@H\E@\AC@E64E\J@FCD6=7\a_ac^Qm&?:G6CD:EJ @7 (:D4@?D:?\|25:D@?’D x% 56A2CE>6?E @FE=:?6Dk^2m 2 76H H2JD px :D 36:?8 FD65 E@ D42> A6@A=6] s66A72<6D Wpx\86?6C2E65 =@@<2=:<6 G:56@DX[ px\A@H6C65 G@:46 7C2F5[ A9:D9:?8[ 2?5 DA62C A9:D9:?8 2C6 E96 >@DE 4@>>@?]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@?DF>6C AC@E64E:@? E:ADik^DEC@?8m t5F42E6 J@FCD6=7 @? E96 E@@=D E92E 2C6 FD65 E@ 4C62E6 566A72<6D[ G@:46 4=@?:?8[ 2?5 A9:D9:?8 6>2:=D] &D6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]>65:2]>:E]65F^AC@;64ED^56E64E\72<6D^@G6CG:6H^QmC6D@FC46D =:<6 E96 |x% |65:2 {23Dk^2m]k^Am
k9bmc] $42>>6CD 2C6 6IA=@:E:?8 v@@8=6 px E@ 5:DA=2J 72<6 3FD:?6DD ?F>36CDk^9bm
kAmv@@8=6’D px @G6CG:6H :D 2 A@H6C7F= E@@= E92E’D FD65 E@ BF:4<=J DF>>2C:K6 E96 >@DE C6=6G2?E C6DA@?D6D E@ 2 FD6C’D :?BF:CJ] w@H6G6C[ D@>6 D42>>6CD 92G6 =62C?65 E@ >2?:AF=2E6 D62C49 6?8:?6 4C2H=D D@ E92E E96:C 7C2F5F=6?E C6DF=ED 2AA62C 2E E96 E@A @7 E96 D62C49 A286]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw@H E96 D42> H@C<Dik^DEC@?8m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]J29@@]4@>^?6HD^2CE:4=6D^8@@8=6\2:\A@:?E65\9:>\4FDE@>6C\`gdecbdcg]9E>=Qm*29@@ }6HD 82G6 2? 6I2>A=6k^2m @7 9@H E9:D D42> H@C<D] p 3FD:?6DD>2? ?66565 96=A H:E9 2 4CF:D6 96 925 D4965F=65] w6 D62C4965 7@C E96 4CF:D6 =:?6’D 4FDE@>6C DFAA@CE ?F>36C @? v@@8=6 2?5 FD65 E96 @?6 8:G6? :? E96 px @G6CG:6H] xE H2D 7C2F5F=6?E[ 2?5 96 H2D 492C865 Sfeg[ H9:49 H2D =2E6C C6G6CD65]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@?DF>6C AC@E64E:@? E:ADik^DEC@?8m p=H2JD G6C:7J E96 4@CC64E 4FDE@>6C DFAA@CE ?F>36C 3J 8@:?8 5:C64E=J E@ E96 4@>A2?J’D H63D:E6 7:CDE] s@ ?@E ECFDE px @G6CG:6HD E@ 8:G6 J@F E96 C:89E ?F>36C]k^Am
k9bmd] ~A6?px H@CC:6D 23@FE px G@:46 7C2F5 2?5 :ED 67764E @? 32?<:?8k^9bm
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H6==D72C8@]4@>^AC:G24J\D64FC:EJ^G@:46\G6C:7:42E:@?^Qm'@:46 AC:?E 2FE96?E:42E:@?k^2m :D 2 D64FC:EJ E649?@=@8J E92E :D FD65 E@ G6C:7J 2446DD] xE FD6D E96 F?:BF6 DF3E=6E:6D @7 J@FC G@:46 E@ AC@G6 E92E J@F’C6 E96 @?6 2446DD:?8 E96 :?7@C>2E:@?] xE’D D:>:=2C E@ 9@H 7:?86CAC:?ED 2C6 FD65 E@ 2446DD A6CD@?2= D>2CEA9@?6D :?DE625 @7 A2DDH@C5D]k^Am
kAm$2> p=E>2?[ rt~ @7 ~A6?px[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^65:E:@?]4??]4@>^a_ad^_f^aa^E649^@A6?2:\D2>\2=E>2?\7C2F5\4C:D:Dns2E6la_ad_faaU2>Aj!C@7:=6lr}}QmC646?E=J 6IAC6DD65 8C2G6 4@?46C?k^2m @G6C px’D 23:=:EJ E@ 6IA=@:E E9:D] w6 6IA=2:?D E92E px 92D 2=C625J DFCA2DD65 E96 23:=:EJ E@ C6A=:42E6 2? :?5:G:5F2=’D G@:46 2?5 E92E 32?<:?8 DJDE6>D :? A2CE:4F=2C ?665 E@ E2<6 5C2DE:4 D64FC:EJ >62DFC6D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m%96 G@:46 7C2F5 E9C62Eik^DEC@?8m $42>>6CD 42? FD6 px E@ 4C62E6 4=@?6D @7 J@FC G@:46 2?5 FD6 :E E@ 2446DD D6?D:E:G6 7:?2?4:2= 244@F?ED E92E FD6 G@:46 2D 2 >62?D @7 G6C:7:42E:@?]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr@?DF>6C !C@E64E:@? %:ADik^DEC@?8m s@ ?@E FE:=:K6 G@:46 2FE96?E:42E:@? 2D 2 H2J E@ =@8 :? E@ J@FC 32?< 244@F?ED] &D6 2 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 D64FC6[ 4@>A=6I A2DDH@C5D 2?5 >@3:=6 @C 6>2:= G6C:7:42E:@?]k^Am
k9bm}@H :D E96 E:>6 E@ AC@E64E J@FCD6=7k^9bm
kAmpx\A@H6C65 D42>D 2?5 7C2F5 2C6 @? E96 C:D6[ 2?5 E96:C 42A23:=:E:6D H:== @?=J 86E >@C6 D@A9:DE:42E65] s66A72<6D[ A9:D9:?8 2EE6>AED[ 2?5 G@:46 7C2F5 42? C6DF=E :? 3:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD @7 52>286[ 2?5 6G6? E96 >@DE :?E6C?6E\D2GGJ 4@?DF>6CD DECF88=6 E@ :56?E:7J E96D6 25G2?465 D42>D]k^Am
kAm%96 36DE H2J E@ AC6G6?E E96D6 D42>D 7C@> 92AA6?:?8 E@ J@F :D E@ AC@E64E J@FCD6=7] %2<6 E:>6 E@ =62C? 23@FE 9@H E96 4FCC6?E E9C62ED H@C< 2?5 H92E E96:C D:8?D 2C6[ 2?5 >2<6 DFC6 E@ 36 42C67F= 2?5 G:8:=2?E H96? 4@>>F?:42E:?8 E9C@F89 J@FC A9@?6 @C 6>2:=]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]ECJ=:768F2C5]4@>^3=@8^D42>D\7C2F5\6?5\a_ad^Qmk6>m%9:D DE@CJk^6>mk^2m k6>mH2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]ECJ=:768F2C5]4@>Qmk6>m{:768F2C5k^6>mk^2m k6>m2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2m]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.