Half of Brits struggle to tell what’s genuine online as AI supercharges scams

National Trading Standards launches AI Scam Watchlist

Nearly half (47%) of UK adults say it is getting harder to tell what is genuine online, and the growth in AI has left 24% feeling overwhelmed by the growing sophistication of scams. These findings* come as National Trading Standards (NTS) today launches its AI Scam Watchlist**, revealing the tools and techniques increasingly being used by criminals to supercharge their scams – from digital humans and cloned voices to deepfakes and AI-generated images – and setting out how consumers can protect themselves.

Almost one in five (19%) UK adults admit to avoiding certain online activity now because of concerns about scams and 31% now double-check emails, messages or websites more carefully. Although 62% are confident they could spot a scam that’s been created using AI, 35% think that AI will make scams even harder to spot in the future. Whilst 27% are worried about becoming a victim themselves, people are especially concerned about more vulnerable loved ones, with 79% concerned about a friend or relative who could become a victim of an AI-enabled scam.

The top 5 AI-powered scam techniques consumers are most concerned about include:

1. Fake websites (convincing clones of trusted brands or sites pretending to be legitimate UK businesses)
2. Voice cloning (replicating someone’s voice to make convincing phone calls or voice messages)
3. Deepfake video (realistic, faked video and audio of a real person)
4. AI-generated images (convincing fake images of products, properties, vehicles or documents)
5. Digital humans (videos of fake people that are AI generated, broadcast on social media and sometimes able to interact with consumers in real time)

The AI Scam Watchlist is based on NTS intelligence, and insight from across the consumer protection landscape, including the wider Trading Standards profession. The intelligence shows that AI is not necessarily creating new types of scams; it is supercharging existing ones. Shopping, holiday, investment and romance scams can now be made more convincing, personalised and scalable, enabling criminals to target more people, more quickly and with less technical expertise needed than before.

Looking ahead, AI-enabled crime is also expected to become increasingly autonomous, with specially programmed AI agents capable of carrying out complex frauds with minimal human involvement, making scams even harder to identify and stop.

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said: 

“AI is transforming the fraud landscape, as it paves the way for a new generation of organised criminals who need little technical expertise to create convincing scams at huge speed and scale. Tackling this is a monumental challenge for government, enforcement agencies and industry and we, along with our partners, will continue working to detect and disrupt the criminal networks behind these scams.

“It’s easy for people to feel powerless in the face of AI, but it remains the case that prevention is a critical defence against all fraud. Ensuring people understand how AI can make scams more convincing, and equipping them with clear, practical advice to protect themselves, will be an incredibly powerful tool in the fight against AI-enabled scams.”

John Herriman, Chartered Trading Standards Institute, Chief Executive, said:

“AI is rapidly changing the way criminals operate, making scams more convincing, more personalised and increasingly difficult for consumers to identify. The technologies highlighted in the AI Scam Watchlist demonstrate how traditional frauds are being enhanced and scaled in ways that we could never have imagined.

“While AI presents significant opportunities for innovation and economic growth, it is vital that consumers are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to navigate these emerging risks safely. Education at school age, strong public awareness campaigns and robust consumer protection must evolve to keep pace with technological advances.

“The launch of the AI Scam Watchlist is an important step in helping people understand the tactics being used against them and the practical actions they can take to protect themselves and their loved ones. By working together across enforcement, government, industry and consumer organisations, we can help ensure that innovation benefits society without creating new opportunities for criminals to exploit.”

Experts from across consumer protection, travel and the dating industry have welcomed the Watchlist, highlighting the growing impact of AI-enabled fraud across different sectors.

Rocio Concha, Which?, Head of Policy and Advocacy, said:

“It’s positive that National Trading Standards is sounding the alarm on AI-driven scams. Which? research supports these findings and we’ve seen experts, let alone the general public, struggle to identify scams built with AI.

“The old 'tell-tale signs', such as typos or grammatical errors, can no longer be relied on to spot scams in an era of highly-sophisticated AI. This makes the AI Scams Watchlist an important tool to help people to stay ahead of this growing threat.

“This is a useful initiative to inform and empower consumers, but it is also necessary to root out fraud at its source. The tech giants who profit from scams must be held accountable. Ofcom should implement the Online Safety Act’s measures on fraudulent advertising as soon as possible and take immediate enforcement action against platforms who are failing to comply with the existing parts of the Act.”

Jessica Tye, Regulatory Projects Manager, Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), said:

"We welcome the launch of the AI Scam Watchlist, which shines a light on how AI is changing the way scams are created and delivered. As AI continues to evolve, it’s vital that everyone involved in tackling scams, including media platforms, regulators, and law enforcement bodies, works together to identify and disrupt them.

"We encourage anyone who sees a suspected scam ad in paid-for online space to report it through our Scam Ad Alert system. These reports help us build intelligence on emerging scams and share information with our partners, supporting action to protect consumers."

Simon Newman, CEO, Online Dating and Discovery Association, said:

"We welcome National Trading Standards shining a light on AI-enabled romance scams. Fraudsters can now create convincing fake faces, clone voices and maintain multiple conversations for months, moving victims from one platform to another to avoid detection. That's why the ODDA's members are investing in new technologies such as verification, detection and data-sharing, and why we're bringing dating services, regulators and law enforcement together to share intelligence and close the gaps that criminals try to exploit. No single platform can tackle this alone. But the most powerful advice is still the simplest - if someone you haven't met in person asks for money, stop. Real connections don't come with a payment request.”

Anna Rowe, Co-Founder, LoveSaid, said:

"As AI tools become more accessible, the focus of prevention must shift away from simply teaching people to spot fake photographs. Public awareness needs to include synthetic audio, manipulated video, AI-assisted conversations and fabricated supporting evidence, while also teaching people how to use AI responsibly to critically assess what they are seeing and hearing. Romance fraud is becoming an increasingly immersive form of psychological abuse, and our education and safeguarding strategies must evolve just as quickly.”

Steve Abrahamson, Head of Risk Management, Association of British Travel Agents, said:

“Unfortunately, AI will further enable fraudsters by using increasingly sophisticated methods to target consumers, with much more convincing websites and fake travel documentation.

“Travel related fraud has a particular focus on destinations and times of year when demand is high and availability limited, as criminals know people will be looking for good deals. Victims will often only find out they have been defrauded just before they are due to travel, or even in resort, when it can be very difficult to find a legitimate replacement leading to yet more cost and potential disappointment.

“We would recommend looking at the advice from Trading Standards and also the detailed advice we have on our website abta.com which will help you recognise potential warning signs and not fall victim to these unscrupulous individuals.”

The good news is that the same basic steps that help protect people from traditional scams can also help protect them from AI-powered fraud:

• Stop and think before paying, sharing personal information or taking action. Be wary of pressure or urgency – criminals want you to act before you have time to think.
• Check – don't trust a caller, website, message, image – or even an AI search result – on face value. Make independent checks to be sure you’re dealing with a legitimate person, company or organisation.
• Protect your money and information – never send money or share personal information with anyone until you're confident they’re genuine.

Fraud and scams can be reported to Report Fraud at www.reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040, or you can call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 for advice.

For more information or to request an interview, please contact the National Trading Standards press office at press@nationaltradingstandards.co.uk or at 020 7101 5013.