AI Makes Impersonation Scams More Convincing, But the Playbook Is Familiar

Fraud experts are warning that impersonation scams are reaching people through phone calls, texts, email, messaging apps and social media - and artificial intelligence is making them harder to spot. Criminals can now generate realistic messages, real-time videos or even mimic a person's voice, lending urgency and a personal touch to requests that once looked obviously fake.

The con itself is unchanged. Someone poses as a government agency, law enforcement, a bank, tech support or a relative in distress, then leans on trust and pressure to push a quick decision. "The technology may be new, but the strategy behind these scams is not," said Joshua Del Valle, executive director of enterprise fraud at PNC Bank. He urged people to verify requests through a contact method they already know and trust rather than judging by how convincing a message, voice or video appears.

Scammers often insist on immediate action or ask victims to keep quiet - for instance, telling someone to say nothing to bank employees during a withdrawal because they are supposedly "compromised." The pattern runs from contact to trust to urgency to a request for money or information, with the loss coming before verification.

Defenses are straightforward: confirm through a known number or official website, don't rely on caller ID or voice alone, slow down and ask questions, avoid sharing personal data in response to unexpected requests, and get a second opinion from someone you trust. More guidance is available through PNC's Security and Privacy Center.