How to spot AI scams: fake voices, deepfake calls and fake messages

AI has made old scams more convincing. A short clip of someone's voice, taken from a video they posted, can be enough to fake a phone call from them. Messages no longer give themselves away with bad spelling. The good news: the checks that protect you are simple, and they work whatever the technology.

Updated 2026-10-25. General information for everyday use, not professional advice.

What these scams look like

A call that sounds like a family member in trouble (an accident, an arrest, stuck abroad) who needs money right now and asks you not to tell anyone.
A video call or voice message from a "boss" or "bank" asking you to move money or share a code.
A polished email, text or social media message that looks like it comes from a company you use, with a link to "fix" a problem.
A new online friend or investment "adviser" whose photos, chats and website all look real, steering you toward sending money.

The common thread is not the technology. It is pressure: something urgent, secret, and paid in a way that is hard to reverse, such as a wire transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency.

The checks that work

Don't trust the voice or the face. A familiar voice is no longer proof of who is calling.
Hang up and call back on a number you already know, not one given in the call or message. If you can't reach the person, try another family member or a friend of theirs.
Agree a family code word now, something only you would know, and ask for it if a call ever feels wrong.
Slow down. Real emergencies survive a five-minute check; scams depend on you not making one.
Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency because someone on the phone told you to.

Use an AI assistant to check a message

An assistant can't tell you for certain whether a message is a scam, but it is good at pointing out the warning signs. Remove names, account numbers and links first, then paste the text in.

Copy and adapt

I received this message and I'm not sure it's genuine. List any signs that it could be a scam (urgency, unusual payment methods, requests for codes or personal details, mismatched names). Then tell me how I could check it safely without using any link or number in the message. Here is the text: [paste the message, with names, numbers and links removed]

If you think you've been targeted

Stop replying and don't send anything more.
If you paid, call your bank or card company straight away, using the number on your card.
In the US, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and online fraud to the FBI at ic3.gov. Elsewhere, use your country's consumer protection or police fraud line.
Warn the person who was impersonated, so they can alert others.