Fraud checks urged for shopping done by AI assistants

A company called IPQualityScore is urging businesses to pair two safeguards when AI assistants shop on a person's behalf. One checks that the assistant has permission to act. The other checks whether the purchase looks like fraud. The company says both are needed for safer online buying.

What changed

AI agents are programs that can act for you, including buying things. IPQualityScore scores how risky a user, device or payment looks. Its message is that permission alone is not enough. A shop may confirm that an assistant was allowed to buy, yet still miss a stolen card or a fake account behind it.

Who it affects

Two groups are touched. Shoppers who let an AI assistant buy for them could see extra steps at checkout. Business owners who sell online may need to decide how to tell a real person's assistant from a fraudster's software.

What is not known yet

The material available does not say which stores plan to adopt these checks, when they might start, or what the extra steps will look like. It also gives no figures on fraud involving AI assistants. The call comes from a company that sells fraud-scoring tools, so it is a recommendation, not a rule.

What to do

• If you use an AI assistant to buy things, expect stores to ask for more confirmation.
• If you run a shop, ask your payment provider how it checks for fraud on automated orders.
• Do not assume that a permission check alone catches fraud.