The Top 6 Scams of 2025: AI Scams, Romance Scams, and More
Scammers stole $16.6 billion in 2024, and they're getting smarter. From AI-powered voice clones to fake romance to bogus investments, criminals use sophisticated tricks to separate you from your money. Some of these are old tricks, but some are completely new—which means you need to know what to look out for.
My current favorite Instagram reels are the ones where infants appear to be having full conversations—obviously deepfakes, but hilarious. Unfortunately, these aren't the only things deepfakes are being used for. According to an FBI report on AI scams, threat actors now use artificial intelligence to generate fake audio and video that's nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.
A Surfshark report found deepfake scams involving both celebrities and the public increasing at alarming rates since 2023. These scams work through impersonation at scale. Criminals use AI to create a convincing voice of a trusted individual at an organization and then call the finance department requesting an urgent wire transfer.
The technology has become so accessible that creating a convincing voice clone requires just a few seconds of audio. However, there are ways to identify AI-generated content if you know what to look for.
Financial Losses from AI-Driven Scams
Financial losses from AI-driven scams exceeded $16.6 billion in 2024, marking a 33% increase from the previous year. The scammers create urgency through various channels—calls, emails, even video messages—pushing victims into making quick decisions without verification.
Romance Scams: Emotional Predators
Romance scammers earned their reputation as emotional predators by targeting people at their most vulnerable moments. According to a Barclays report, romance scam reports rose 20% in early 2025, with scammers specifically seeking out people who've recently experienced personal loss.
Romance scammers follow the same playbook every time. They find you on Tinder or Facebook, or may slide into your DMs on Instagram. After a few days of chatting, they'll ask you for your WhatsApp number to continue the conversation. Then comes the long con.
Crypto Scams: The Riskiest Type of Fraud
Crypto scams are now the worst of the bunch. The Better Business Bureau says they were the riskiest type of fraud in 2024, and they're still going strong in 2025. According to Chainalysis's Crypto Crime Report 2024, these scams work so well because they hit you from two angles—they promise easy money while also making you panic that you're missing the next Bitcoin if you don't act fast.
Phishing Scams: Exploiting Human Psychology
Phishing scams are nothing new, yet remain highly effective because they exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities. The 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report identifies phishing as a persistent major threat, with attackers increasingly using AI to craft more convincing, deceptive messages.
Purchasing Scams: Fake Furniture and Luxury Goods
Fake furniture sites like the one my dad wanted to buy are part of a massive purchasing scam. Scammers advertise through social media, often targeting specific demographics with ads for products that look enticing. Before purchasing from unfamiliar sites, research the seller thoroughly.
Dangerous Tactics Used by Scammers
Impersonation scams work because they exploit authority and trust simultaneously. Scammers pose as IRS agents, police officers, utility companies, or tech support, counting on people's fear of consequences or desire to comply with authority figures.
Tech support scams work differently. You'll get a scary pop-up saying your computer is infected, or a fake error message that tricks you into typing commands that let the scammer in.
The Blurred Lines Between Scams and Legitimate Messages
AI tools are blurring the lines between obvious and sophisticated scams. Anyone with these tools can create professional-looking emails, messages, or scripts that government officials use.
They can modulate voice and even videos without needing dedicated high-end computing hardware. Always question unsolicited contact, verify requests through independent channels, and remember that legitimate organizations won't pressure you into immediate action.