National Trading Standards warns AI is amplifying scams

National Trading Standards says artificial intelligence is making existing scams more convincing and easier to produce at scale. Its first AI scam watchlist highlights tools and techniques used by criminals.

These include polished fake retailer websites that can be created quickly and cheaply, sometimes posing as family-owned businesses selling UK-made goods. Images may show British high streets and Union Jack flags. Trading standards officers warn that orders may never arrive or may be replaced by cheap, mass-produced goods.

Other tactics include romance scammers using AI to remember personal details and sustain conversations over weeks or months; deepfake videos and cloned voices impersonating relatives or friends seeking money in an emergency; and personalised phishing messages generated at scale. Consumer group Which? says spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are no longer reliable signs of fraud.

Trading standards advises people not to send money, gift cards, or personal or financial information to someone they have not met in person. It also suggests checking whether a shop address is real, verifying financial firms with the Financial Conduct Authority’s Firm Checker, and contacting businesses directly to confirm job adverts. People should not assume a caller or video contact is genuine based on their voice or appearance. The guidance urges people to pause before paying, sharing information, or acting, especially when faced with pressure or urgency.