AI is helping criminals write fake emails, texts and calls that sound real, and everyday current accounts are a common target. A few quick checks can protect your money.
Financial Mirror, a outlet covering banking and money news, reports that AI is making cyber attacks on everyday current accounts more convincing. A current account is the account most people use to get paid and pay bills. That makes it a common target, and a fake message that sounds real can empty it.
AI tools can help criminals write fake emails, texts and voice calls that look and sound far more believable than the clumsy scams of the past. Spelling mistakes and odd wording used to give many scams away. Those clues may now be missing. A message can look polished, and a caller can sound calm and professional.
Anyone with a current account or online banking could be a target. Small businesses face extra risk when they pay bills and staff from the same account, because one successful trick can reach a lot of money at once.
The alert box above lists four steps. They come down to a simple habit: do not trust a message or call just because it sounds right. If someone urgently asks for a code, a password or a payment, stop and check through a channel you trust.
The material available does not say how many people have been hit, how much money has been lost, or which banks are involved. It also does not name specific scams. Treat any unexpected request about your account with caution until you have checked it yourself.
If a call or message about your account feels urgent, stop, hang up and check using the number on your bank card.
Fake PayPal emails and texts, some posing as a security report, try to get you to tap a link and type your login. Checking your account directly avoids the trap.
Read more: Got a fake PayPal message? Skip its link and check your account yourselfSecurity firm Flashpoint says criminals are trading in refund tricks, gift card fraud and hacked online stores ahead of the holidays. Shop owners should check their refund steps.
Read more: Scammers are targeting store refunds and gift cards before the holidaysMorristown police say scammers posing as bank staff are pushing people to withdraw cash, which is very hard to get back once it is handed over.
Read more: Morristown police warn of scam where fake bank staff ask for cash
