How to spot AI scams, and what to do if you get one

The phone rings. It’s your grandson, and he sounds scared. He’s been in an accident, he needs money right now, and please don’t tell Mom.

It sounds exactly like him. That’s the problem.

The FBI and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) both warn that scammers now use AI to copy voices, write convincing messages and make fake photos and videos. This guide explains what’s changed, the warning signs that still give scams away, and exactly what to do. It takes about six minutes, and it’s worth sharing with the people you love.

What AI has changed

Voices can be copied

The FTC says a scammer needs only a short audio clip of someone’s voice, which they might find in a video posted online, plus a voice-cloning program. Then they can call you sounding just like your family member. The FBI says criminals use these cloned voices to pretend a relative is in a crisis and needs money fast, or to demand a ransom.

Messages look more polished

Bad spelling and clumsy grammar used to be a giveaway. Not anymore. The FBI warns that AI helps criminals write convincing messages “containing proper grammar and spelling,” tailored to the person they’re targeting. A neat, friendly message is no longer a sign that it’s genuine.

Photos and videos can be faked

The FBI says criminals use AI to make realistic images, fake identity documents and even video of people, including well-known figures, to make their stories more believable.

The warning signs that still give it away

Here’s the reassuring part. The technology is new, but the tricks aren’t. According to the FTC, fake emergency scams have a lot in common:

• It’s urgent. They say you have to act right now, and that you’re the only one who can help.
• It’s secret. They ask you not to tell anyone. They don’t want you checking with family.
• It’s emotional. They count on panic or love to stop you thinking it through.
• They want hard-to-trace payment. Wiring money, cryptocurrency, gift cards (and reading out the numbers on the back), or a payment app. Once the money is gone, it’s very hard to get back.
• A “helper” joins in. The FTC and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) say scammers may pass the phone to someone pretending to be a lawyer, police officer, doctor or court official.

If a call or message ticks even two of these boxes, stop.

Clues in fake photos and videos

The FBI suggests looking for small mistakes, such as:

• hands or feet that look wrong
• odd teeth or eyes
• faces that look blurry or irregular
• glasses or jewelry that don’t look real
• shadows that don’t match
• lag, a voice that doesn’t quite match the mouth, or strange movements

These clues help, but AI keeps improving. If something feels off, trust that feeling and check another way.

What to do if you get one of these calls

The FTC’s advice is simple: don’t trust the voice. Even if it sounds exactly like someone you love.

1. Hang up. Or say you’ll call right back. You won’t hurt a real family member’s feelings by checking.
2. Call them yourself, on a number you know is theirs. Use the number saved in your contacts, not one the caller gives you.
3. Can’t reach them? Call someone else. Another family member or friend can help you work out whether the story is true, even if the caller begged you to keep it secret.
4. Ask a question only the real person would know. The FTC suggests something like “What kind of dog do you have?” or “Where did we spend Thanksgiving last year?”
5. Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency because a caller told you to.

The same goes for calls that seem to come from your bank. The FBI says to hang up, look up the bank’s real phone number yourself, and call it directly.

Set up a family safe word today

This is the single best five-minute thing you can do. The FBI recommends creating a secret word or phrase with your family to confirm who’s really calling. The FCC suggests the same.

How to do it:

• Pick something odd that isn’t online anywhere. Not a pet’s name, birthday or street you’ve posted about.
• Share it in person or on a call, not in a group chat or social media post.
• Agree on the rule: if someone calls asking for money in an emergency, they say the word. No word, no money, no matter how real the voice sounds.
• Make sure older relatives and teenagers know it, since scammers often target grandparents.

Make yourself a harder target

The FBI also suggests:

• Limit how much of your voice and face is public. Consider making social media accounts private, and keep followers to people you actually know.
• Never share sensitive information with someone you’ve only met online or over the phone.
• Don’t send money or gift cards to people you’ve never met in person.

If you’ve already sent money

Don’t be embarrassed. These scams fool smart, careful people every day, because they’re designed to. What matters is acting fast:

1. Contact your bank, card company, or the payment app or gift card company right away. The sooner you ask, the better the chance of stopping or reversing the payment.
2. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
3. Report internet-based fraud to the FBI at ic3.gov.
4. Tell your family. It helps them spot the next one, and the scammer may try them too.

The 30-second version

• Voices, messages and videos can now be faked with AI.
• Urgency, secrecy and gift cards or crypto are the big red flags.
• Hang up and call back on a number you already have.
• Set up a family safe word this week.

Want one short, practical note like this every morning? That’s what The Five-Minute AI is for.