- Nearly two-thirds of victims say AI tools made their fraud experience easier
- One in ten victims handed over money in just five minutes
- Fraudsters moved across multiple platforms in 63% of incidents
Messaging scams are becoming more sophisticated as criminals use AI to imitate trusted people, familiar brands and everyday conversations.
New research from Kaspersky suggests that these schemes succeed at an alarming rate, often convincing victims to hand over money within minutes.
The results indicate that digital experience alone can no longer provide reliable protection against modern fraud attempts.
AI-powered scams are getting faster and more convincing
The study reveals that almost two-thirds of scam victims worldwide, or 64.5%, believe that AI tools played a role in the fraud attempts against them.
In the UK, 54% of respondents suspect criminals are using deepfakes or synthetic voices to impersonate legitimate relatives, friends or organizations, allowing fraudsters to create convincing scenarios that closely resemble real interactions and trusted relationships.
According to the study, more than half of UK victims made payments or shared sensitive information within 30 minutes of first contact.
More than one in 10 victims, or 12.2%, did so within 5 minutes, demonstrating the speed with which these operations take place.
Researchers also found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of incidents moved across multiple communications platforms, helping fraudsters maintain credibility while avoiding suspicion.
The most common scams involved investment opportunities, affecting 40% of respondents, followed by fake delivery alerts at 38% and brand impersonation schemes at 35%.
Dr Elisabeth Carter, a forensic linguist and criminologist at Kingston University in London, said fraudsters create situations that seem entirely reasonable at the time.
“Fraudsters use recognized contexts, familiar social contexts, and embedded linguistic norms to make victims feel like their decision-making is rational and reasonable in the moment,” Carter explained.
“What’s actually happening is they’re constructing false realities where these decisions end up causing financial and psychological harm.” »
Financial losses continue to grow while reporting remains low
The financial consequences extend beyond isolated incidents, particularly at a time when many households are already facing economic pressures.
Kaspersky found that in the UK, victims lose an average of £458.45 per scam, while 9.1% reported losses in excess of £1,000, and more than a quarter (28%) said they had experienced three or more scam attempts in six months.
Researchers noted that millennials were particularly vulnerable to investment fraud, with 40% reporting they had been exposed to financial opportunity schemes.
The study also reveals that more than half (52%) of all scams took place in the previous five months, suggesting that the problem continues to accelerate rather than stabilize.
Marc Rivero, senior security researcher with Kaspersky’s global research and analysis team, warned that criminal groups are operating on an unprecedented scale.
“AI is accelerating the trend, helping fraudsters convincingly imitate brands, familiar voices and personal connections,” said Marc Rivero, senior security researcher on Kaspersky’s global research and analytics team.
“Simply being aware is no longer sufficient protection. People need to recognize risks earlier, before they are pushed into making hasty decisions.”
Security experts recommend combining caution with technical protections, including antivirus software that can detect malicious links in real time.
They also encourage stronger credential protection through a password manager and broader awareness of evolving scam tactics.
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