A quarter of UK adults now feel overwhelmed by how sophisticated scams have become, according to research commissioned by National Trading Standards (NTS), which warns that AI is making familiar forms of fraud far more dangerous.
NTS said the technology is less a source of new scam types than an accelerant for existing ones. Shopping, holiday, investment and romance fraud have all become more persuasive, more tailored to individual victims and easier to deploy at scale.
Criminals can now reach larger numbers of people quickly while needing far less technical skill. To help the public keep pace, NTS has introduced an “AI Scam Watchlist” that explains the newest schemes and how they operate.
The findings suggest the threat is already changing behaviour. Around 19% of respondents said they now steer clear of certain online activities because of fraud fears, and 31% said they scrutinise emails, messages and websites more closely than before. While 27% fear being targeted themselves, a much larger 79% expressed particular worry for vulnerable relatives and friends.
Respondents identified five AI-driven techniques as their biggest concerns. These were counterfeit websites, cloned voices used in calls or voice messages, deepfake video, AI-generated pictures of goods, homes, cars or paperwork, and synthetic people appearing in social media videos, some of whom can respond to viewers live.
Market research firm Censuswide polled 2,000 UK adults between 18 and 22 September to produce the data.
NTS chairman Lord Michael Bichard said, “AI is transforming the fraud landscape, as it paves the way for a new generation of organised criminals who need little technical expertise to create convincing scams at huge speed and scale.
“Tackling this is a monumental challenge for government, enforcement agencies and industry and we, along with our partners, will continue working to detect and disrupt the criminal networks behind these scams.
“It’s easy for people to feel powerless in the face of AI, but it remains the case that prevention is a critical defence against all fraud. Ensuring people understand how AI can make scams more convincing, and equipping them with clear, practical advice to protect themselves, will be an incredibly powerful tool in the fight against AI-enabled scams.”
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regulatory projects manager Jessica Tye said, “We welcome the launch of the AI Scam Watchlist, which shines a light on how AI is changing the way scams are created and delivered.
“As AI continues to evolve, it’s vital that everyone involved in tackling scams, including media platforms, regulators, and law enforcement bodies, works together to identify and disrupt them.
“We encourage anyone who sees a suspected scam ad in paid-for online space to report it through our Scam Ad Alert system. These reports help us build intelligence on emerging scams and share information with our partners, supporting action to protect consumers.”
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