Spotting AI Scams Aimed at You

Why this lesson matters

The same technology that can help you write a birthday card can also be used by criminals. This lesson is not here to frighten you. It is here to give you one calm, simple habit that protects you from most of these tricks.

First, something important. Scams work on clever, careful people of every age. They are designed by professionals to catch you off guard. If you, or someone you know, has ever been caught out, that is not a sign of foolishness. It is a sign the scam was well made.

Three tricks to know about

1. A cloned voice of someone you love. AI can now copy a person's voice from a short recording, such as a video posted online. So a call might sound exactly like your son, daughter or grandchild. They sound upset. They are in trouble, perhaps an accident or a lost wallet abroad. They need money quickly, and they ask you not to tell anyone.

2. Fake messages that look genuine. Texts, emails and chat messages that claim to be from your bank, a delivery company, the tax office or a family member on a new phone number. The old giveaway of poor spelling has largely gone. These messages can now be well written and polite.

3. Fake celebrity adverts. Videos online that appear to show a famous presenter, business person or doctor recommending an investment, a miracle cure or a special offer. AI can make these videos look and sound convincing. The celebrity has usually never heard of the product.

The pattern to listen for

You do not need to become an expert in spotting fakes. Instead, notice the shape of the request. Scams almost always push the same buttons:

• Hurry. It must happen now, in the next few minutes.
• Secrecy. Do not tell anyone, not even the rest of the family.
• Money or details. A payment, a transfer, a code or a password.

When you notice all three together, pause. That pause is your protection.

The one rule

If a call or message asks for money or personal details, hang up and call back on a number you already know.

Not the number that just called you. Not a number given in the message. The number already saved in your phone, written in your address book, or printed on the back of your bank card.

• Your grandson calls in distress? Hang up and ring his usual number, or ring his parents.
• Your bank texts about a problem? Call the number on your card.
• A delivery company says you owe a fee? Go to their website yourself, not through the link.

A real family member will understand completely. A real bank will never mind. A scammer depends on you staying on their line, so stepping off it breaks the trick.

Agree a family code word

This is a small, practical step worth taking this week. Choose a word or phrase with your close family that nobody else would guess, and that is not posted anywhere online. A childhood pet's nickname, perhaps, or a silly phrase from a family holiday.

If anyone ever calls in an emergency asking for money, ask for the code word. A real relative will know it. A cloned voice will not.

It can feel a little awkward to suggest. It helps to present it as looking after each other, which is exactly what it is.

What never to share

Some things are never needed by an AI chat, and never needed by a genuine caller:

• Bank details, card numbers or PINs
• Passwords, or codes sent to your phone
• Passport, driving licence or other ID details

If an AI assistant, a caller or a message asks for any of these, that is the moment to stop. Your bank will never ask for your full PIN or password over the phone. An AI assistant does not need them to help you with anything.