UK Police Warn of Surge in AI-Powered Online Scams

British police and cybersecurity authorities have issued an urgent nationwide warning. This is due to a dramatic rise in “industrial-scale” fraud powered by artificial intelligence. Cloned voices of family members in distress illustrate the threat. There are also sophisticated deepfake videos of public figures. The next generation of online scams is targeting the UK public with unprecedented precision and scale.

The warning comes as new data reveals the staggering financial toll of cyber-enabled crime. According to recent figures, UK consumers lost an estimated £9.4 billion to fraud in the nine months leading to November 2025. Authorities are particularly concerned by the rapid evolution of generative AI tools. These tools have lowered the barrier to entry for criminals. Even amateur fraudsters can now create convincingly realistic impersonations of trusted individuals and institutions.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates that approximately 67% of all fraud reported in the UK is now cyber-enabled. As these technologies become more accessible, police forces across the country are launching awareness campaigns. One example is Surrey’s “Question EVERYTHING” initiative. These campaigns aim to help the public identify the subtle red flags of an AI-generated scam.

What Are AI-Powered Scams?

Artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed the landscape of digital deception. Traditional phishing emails often contained tell-tale spelling errors or generic greetings. In contrast, AI-powered scams are highly personalised. They are visually or auditorily convincing.

Voice cloning has emerged as one of the most “chilling” developments in modern fraud. Experts warn that as little as three seconds of audio is enough for AI software to clone a person’s voice. This audio is often scraped from social media videos or public speeches. These clones are then used in “grandparent scams.” A fraudster calls an elderly relative pretending to be a grandchild. They claim to have been in an accident or arrested, pleading for immediate financial help.

Deepfake videos are also being deployed on an industrial scale. Action Fraud recently reported significant losses. Over £10 million was lost in a single year to fraudsters using AI-generated videos. These videos featured influential public figures to promote bogus investment schemes. These videos often appear on social media platforms. They show trusted experts or politicians “guaranteeing” high returns on cryptocurrency or stock market “opportunities.”

Why These Scams Are Increasing

The surge in AI-driven fraud is attributed to three primary factors: accessibility, data availability, and the speed of technological advancement. Only a few years ago, creating a realistic deepfake required significant technical expertise and expensive hardware. Today, many of these tools are available for free or for a small subscription fee, requiring no coding knowledge.

Furthermore, the vast amount of personal information shared on social media provides a “goldmine” for scammers. A single video posted to a public profile can supply the audio data. It can also provide the visual data necessary to create a convincing clone. Criminals use this data to tailor their scams to specific individuals. This personalization makes the deception far harder to spot than traditional “spray and pray” phishing attacks.

“Capabilities have suddenly reached that level. Now, fake content can be produced by pretty much anybody,” says Simon Mylius, a researcher at the AI Incident Database. “It’s become very accessible to a point where there is really effectively no barrier to entry.”

Who Is Most at Risk?

Anyone with an internet connection or a smartphone can be targeted. However, certain groups have proven more vulnerable to specific types of AI fraud.

•Older Generations: Frequently targeted by voice cloning scams that exploit emotional distress and family loyalty.

•Small Businesses: Vulnerable to “business email compromise” (BEC) and recruitment fraud. AI is used to create fake job candidates. It can also impersonate senior leadership in video calls.

•Online Investors: Often lured by deepfake endorsements of fraudulent financial platforms, with average losses for investment fraud victims reaching £50,000.

In one notable case, a finance officer at a multinational firm was deceived. He paid out nearly £500,000 after participating in a video call. He believed the participants were the company’s leadership. In reality, every other participant on the call was a deepfake.

Police and Expert Advice

UK police forces are urging the public to adopt a more skeptical mindset. They want people to be cautious when interacting with digital content to combat this rising threat. Lisa Townsend, Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, recently demonstrated the danger. She created a deepfake of herself. This act showed how easily the public can be misled.

“AI has made the scammers’ space into a fraudsters’ paradise,” Townsend warned. “I am urging everyone who watches content online to pause and question everything. If you scroll through social media or receive unexpected phone calls, do the same. Question everything you are seeing and hearing.”

Experts have identified several common warning signs that may indicate a video or audio clip is AI-generated:

1. Unnatural Movements: In deepfake videos, look for “soft” or blurry edges around the face. Notice any unnatural blinking patterns. Pay attention to shadows that don’t match the environment.

2.Audio-Visual Lag: A slight delay occurs between the movement of a person’s mouth and the sound of their voice. This can be a sign of real-time AI processing.

3.Strange Backgrounds: Scammers often use static or blurred backgrounds to hide the technical imperfections of their deepfake software.

4.Urgency and Secrecy: Almost all scams rely on creating a sense of panic. They insist that the victim must not tell anyone else about the request.

How the Public Can Protect Themselves

Protection against AI scams requires a combination of technical caution and practical communication strategies. Authorities recommend the following safety tips:

•Establish a Family “Safe Word”: Families are encouraged to agree on a secret word or phrase. This can be used to verify identity during an emergency call. If the caller cannot provide the safe word, it is likely a scam.

•Verify Through Independent Channels: If you receive a distressing call, hang up immediately. If a suspicious request comes from a “boss” or “bank,” do the same. Call the person or institution back using a trusted number from your contacts or an official website.

•Limit Public Data: Be mindful of the amount of audio and video content you share publicly on social media. Adjusting privacy settings can make it harder for scammers to harvest the data needed for cloning.

•Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Ensure all financial and social media accounts are protected by MFA. This provides an essential second layer of security. This protection remains even if a scammer manages to obtain your login details.

If you believe you have been targeted by a scam, report it to Action Fraud. You can do this via their website or by calling 0300 123 2040. Suspicious emails can be forwarded to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at report@phishing.gov.uk.

What Happens Next?

The UK government and law enforcement agencies are currently in a “technological arms race” with cybercriminals. In February 2026, the government announced new initiatives. They plan to test leading deepfake detection technologies. These aim to combat real-world threats, including fraud and impersonation.

Regulation is also on the horizon. Discussions are ongoing regarding stricter requirements for AI developers to “watermark” AI-generated content. This measure aims to make it easier for platforms and users to distinguish between real and synthetic media. Meanwhile, police forces are expanding their specialist cybercrime units to better track the sophisticated networks behind these high-volume attacks.

However, experts agree that technology alone cannot solve the problem. Public awareness remains the most effective defense. As AI continues to integrate into daily life, the ability to critically evaluate digital information will become crucial. This skill will be essential for the general public.

AI-powered scams indicate a major shift in the nature of online crime. They move from generic attempts to highly sophisticated deceptions. These deceptions are emotionally manipulative. The technology behind these frauds is complex. However, the defense against them often relies on simple, human actions. These actions include pausing, verifying, and questioning.

The public can protect themselves and their families from the growing threat of AI impersonation. They should stay informed about the latest tactics used by fraudsters. Maintaining a healthy level of digital skepticism is also important. As the police warning makes clear, in the age of the deepfake, seeing and hearing are no longer necessarily believing.