AI scams are getting slicker, and families are squarely in the crosshairs

AI scams are getting slicker, and families are squarely in the crosshairs

Artificial intelligence is giving scammers new ways to trick people and businesses into handing over money or sensitive information. The Co-operative Bank says cyber-enabled crime cost the UK £1.7 billion between 2022 and 2023, with banking fraud making up nearly half (£758m).
The family-relevant part: deepfakes and voice cloning are the new costume change. Deepfakes are AI-generated videos, images, or audio that make it look like someone said or did something they did not, and scammers can use them for fraud and misinformation. Voice cloning uses AI to mimic someone’s voice, and scammers use it to impersonate people and demand money or information.
What to watch for: unnatural facial expressions or movements, inconsistent lighting or shadows, blurry edges around the face or body, voices that sound slightly robotic or lack natural emotion, unexpected voice messages or phone calls asking for money or personal details, unusual or urgent requests from someone you know, robotic tone, poor audio quality or odd pauses, and calls from unknown numbers even if the voice sounds familiar.
The safest habit is boring but effective: always check the source.

Gobble's Take: If a “relative” sounds urgent and a little off, pause before you pay—the scammer may be doing a very convincing impression, not a very convincing emergency.
Source: Co-operative Bank

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