AI Scam Self-Test
Eight scenarios: scam or not? AI upgraded how convincing scams look, but the scripts still have the same cracks. You'll leave knowing how to spot them.
Question 1 of 8
A phone call: your grandson's voice, panicked, says he's been arrested abroad and needs $2,000 wired right now. He begs you not to tell his parents.
AI can clone a voice from a few seconds of audio. Hang up and call his real number. A genuine emergency survives a callback; a script that says "tell no one" never does.
Question 2 of 8
A video shows a famous investor personally endorsing a trading platform with "guaranteed returns." Face, voice, and lip movement all match.
This is exactly what deepfakes are built for. Celebrity face plus guaranteed returns: close the tab. No real investment guarantees returns; the phrase itself is the tell.
Question 3 of 8
Your phone carrier texts that this month's bill is ready, states the amount, includes no link, and asks you to do nothing.
Pure notification, no link, no urgency: usually fine. To check a bill, open the official app yourself. The one rule that covers everything: never tap links inside texts.
Question 4 of 8
A caller says they're from a government agency: your accounts are tied to a money-laundering case, your savings must move to a "safe account," and you must keep this secret.
No agency handles cases by phone, holds your savings, or demands secrecy. "Safe account" exists only in scam scripts. Hang up and report it (in the US: reportfraud.ftc.gov).
Question 5 of 8
The day after an online order, "customer service" calls, correctly reads back your name and order, apologizes for a billing error, and asks you to buy gift cards so they can process your refund.
Your order data leaked; accuracy is not proof. Refunds never come through gift cards. Anyone who asks for payment in gift cards is a scammer, no exceptions.
Question 6 of 8
Someone you met on a dating app three weeks ago messages you warmly every day. Now they mention a crypto platform with steady wins and offer to guide you, starting small.
This is "pig butchering": affection first, then "investing." Early small wins are the bait; the withdrawal fails once you go big. Money talk with someone you've never met is a scam by default.
Question 7 of 8
Your banking app pushes a notification: new device sign-in detected. It asks if this was you, and says if not, call the number on the back of your card.
In-app notifications are relatively trustworthy, and this one routes you to official channels instead of giving you a number. The reverse, a phone number inside a text or email, is the one to distrust.
Question 8 of 8
A social media ad offers a government rebate. The site looks identical to the official one and asks for your bank card number to "verify eligibility."
Fake official sites are now near-perfect copies. Governments don't collect card numbers through social ads. Type the official address yourself; never arrive at a form through an ad.
Want the full playbook? Read the guide to spotting AI scams →
If something feels off, report it. In the US: reportfraud.ftc.gov; elsewhere, your local anti-fraud hotline.