Scams are growing increasingly sophisticated and tailored to their targets. Since generative AI became widespread, fraud has jumped by about 80%. Their success stems largely from how difficult it is now to tell a scam or a fraudulent caller apart from a legitimate one. We’re already seeing near-perfect fake websites that mimic French institutions, but attackers don’t stop there — they use more advanced techniques to harvest personal data and empty victims’ bank accounts. “In two years, we’ll see a lot more hyper-personalized scams. Thanks to artificial intelligence, cloning someone’s voice or face has become really easy,” Leyla Bilge, head of scam research at Avast, tells us.

All it takes for a fraudster is to find a story or a clip someone posted on social media where the person speaks to the camera. Imagine a scammer calling a grandmother pretending to be her grandson and urgently asking for money. How will anyone tell a deepfake from the real face or voice of a family member? A report on AI-driven identity fraud shows victims and law enforcement are increasingly struggling to spot these scams: one in three fraud attempts that involve AI succeeds.

As with every scam, Leyla Bilge stresses the basic precautions to remember, since fraudsters tend to reuse the same scenarios that “exploit the victim’s fear, sense of urgency, and trust”. The expert points out that banks will not ask for personal details over the phone or via text message, and if you’re unsure, you should “pause, take the time to verify the information, and if necessary hang up and call back to confirm you’re speaking with the right person,” she advises.

But Bilge says there’s one measure “every family should adopt right away.” That is establishing a family secret code that isn’t a birth date, address, or any other easily shared detail scammers could find. “It should be something specific to the family — maybe a commonly used phrase, a private way of speaking, the dog’s nickname, or another little secret,” she recommends.

Family sitting at a table talking, planning and writing down a secret codePin
Choose a memorable, unique family secret code and write it down where everyone can find it.

When technologies can mimic almost anything perfectly, the best protection remains everyday caution. By talking about these risks regularly with relatives and staying alert to any unusual message or request, you help shield every family member, no matter their age.