So far in 2025, 120 branches of major UK banks have closed, or announced their upcoming closure, removing the opportunity for face to face banking. This had led to millions of UK households rushing to close and switch banks.
Consequently, the risk of being targeted by scams such as phishing, impersonation, and advance fee fraud grows.
In response to this, the experts at AI prompt management tool AIPRM has provided to Digital Journal their expert tips on how to detect an AI impersonation scam, and how to stay safe. They also analysed global search volumes to assess the growing concern and interest surrounding these scams.
Most searched AI scam terms over the past 12 months
- Deepfakes
- AI voice cloning
- AI deep fakes
- AI scams
- AI phishing
- AI cloning
AIPRM have found that Deepfakes have been searched for 178,000 times on average each month. This comes as no surprise, as deepfakes continue to grow in dominance, with a 2137 percent rise in deepfake scam attempts over the last three years alone.
AI voice cloning has also been gaining traction, with 23,000 monthly searches on average. Being among the fastest growing scams of 2024, and with 70 percent of adults not confident that they could identify the cloned version from the real thing, it is no wonder that interest in this scam is growing.
In terms of identifying AI impersonation scams, Christoph C. Cemper, founder of AIPRM has provided information about how to spot these.
AI voice scams
Scammers need just three seconds of audio to clone a person’s voice and utilise it for a scam call. With these scams being simple to create and hard to identify, it is useful to keep the following tips in mind.
The caller will typically claim to be a friend, family member, colleague, or someone you know. Ask the caller a question that only they will know the answer to, or, create a secret phrase that only both you and the caller would know. If they cannot answer with the correct response, it is likely a scammer.
If you only hear your friend/loved one’s voice for a brief period of time, it could be a warning sign, as scammers often use the voice clone briefly, knowing that the longer it is used, the higher the risk of the receiver catching on.
If you are called from an unknown number, it can be a strong indication of a scam, as AI voice scams often use unknown numbers to make unsolicited calls. If the caller is claiming to be a company or someone you know, hang up, and dial them back using a known number, either from your contact list or the company’s official website.
AI phishing & text scams
If you receive a suspicious text or email, there’s a chance it could be an AI impersonation scam, so there are some key things to consider before taking action. Check the sender, and verify their phone or email address. If it is unfamiliar to you, it is best to ignore it. Another red flag can be poor spelling and grammar, which can be common in AI-generated messages, as they lack human-like intellect and context.
A major indicator of AI messages is an urgent request, scammers use this method to pressure you into handing over important information. Legitimate organisations do not typically request sensitive information over text.
You should also avoid clicking on any suspicious links in texts. If the website looks familiar, visit it directly online and log in from there.
AI-generated listings
Scammers can utilise AI to craft images, descriptions, and fake content, in order to generate fake listings online and on social media. These are expected to rise in 2025, even more so since Meta has abandoned the use of fact checking on its platforms. These can range from a retail product, rental properties, or even job listings. There are some key factors to look out for if you are doubtful about a listing you see online.
Listings that ask for a payment or deposit are typical of scammers, who tend to use urgency to gain the viewer’s attention. It is best to not take action if you feel pressured by the listing. The listing may also direct you to a different site to make a payment; this scamming tactic could result in financial fraud so it is advised to not enter any details.
A key piece of advice for any listing you see online, is to reach out to the company via trusted processes, whether that is a company website, or contact number.
