// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
Don't fall for this - how to protect yourself from AI scams
Be careful where you buy from, shoppers are being warned as criminals use AI to supercharge scams.
Some fraudsters have made websites for fake retailers that claim to be family-owned firms selling quality UK-made products. Images may show a UK High Street with Union Jack flags in shot.
If you order you're likely to find a product either never arrives, or is a cheap, mass-produced item from a country such as China, trading standards officers say.
AI-generated images like this, as well as voice cloning and deepfake videos are increasingly being used to trick people out of their money, according to National Trading Standards.
For the first time, it has drawn up an AI scam watchlist, external highlighting some of the tools and techniques criminals are using.
Cloned or new websites that look polished and professional in rapid time and at a low cost
Romance scams in which AI is used to remember victims' personal details and keep conversations going over weeks or months
AI-generated deepfake videos and voice-cloned audio is used to impersonate family members or close friends asking for money in an "emergency"
Error-free, personalised phishing emails, text messages and social media posts can be generated by AI on a huge scale
Some of the old scam-avoidance techniques may now be less successful due to the benefits of AI.