National Trading Standards (NTS), the body that tackles large-scale consumer fraud across the UK, has found that artificial intelligence is making scams so sophisticated that a quarter of UK adults now feel overwhelmed by them.
According to NTS, AI is not producing entirely new forms of fraud. Instead, it is amplifying familiar ones.
Shopping, holiday, investment and romance scams have become more persuasive, more tailored to individual targets and easier to run at volume. This allows criminals to reach larger numbers of people quickly, even without much technical skill. In response, NTS has introduced an “AI Scam Watchlist” designed to help consumers understand current scams and how they operate.
The research shows that fear of fraud is already changing how people behave online. Nearly one in five adults (19%) say they now steer clear of certain online activities because of scam concerns, while 31% report scrutinising emails, messages and websites more closely than before.
Just over a quarter (27%) fear falling victim themselves, yet a far larger share, 79%, say they worry most about friends or relatives who may be more vulnerable.
Respondents identified five AI-driven techniques that concern them most. These are counterfeit websites; voice cloning, where someone’s voice is copied to produce a believable call or voice message; deepfake video; AI-generated pictures of products, properties, vehicles or documents; and AI-created videos of fictitious people shared on social media, some of which can engage with viewers in real time.
The findings come from a Censuswide poll of 2,000 UK adults carried out between 18 and 22 September.
National Trading Standards 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 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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