What you need to know about spotting imposter scams

(BPT) - While fraud is nothing new, today's scams are constantly evolving. The latest advances in technology, like artificial intelligence (AI), make these schemes even harder to spot. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) tracks the staggering cost of fraud for consumers, such as $15.9 billion in reported losses in 2025 alone. While scams take many forms, most share one trait: imposters. Fraudsters pretend to be a person, company or government agency that they are not. Imposter scams are the top-reported type of fraud in the country.

Today's scams can be easily AI-enhanced, using tools like generative AI, voice cloning and deepfake technology to create highly convincing, personalized content that can even help imposters build relationships with victims over time. AI fakes are used in many types of scams, from romance and investment scams to fraudsters claiming to be a grandchild or a romantic interest.

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