12% of successful scams in 2025 used AI or deepfakes, according to poll of U.S. adults
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As AI is adopted across industries, it’s also being taken up by scammers. Around 6% of U.S. adults, or around 15 million people, were scammed out of money last year, a new Gallup and Stop Scams Alliance survey finds, and victims reported that 12% of those scams involved AI or deepfakes. Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscription Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading. “These guys aren’t called organized crime for nothing.
AI Summary
Main Idea: A Stop Scams Alliance survey says scams caused major losses in the U.S. last year, and 12% of successful scams involved AI or deepfakes.
Key Points:
- Gallup and Stop Scams Alliance found that about 6% of U.S. adults, or roughly 15 million people, were scammed out of money last year.
- The survey said Americans lost about $68 billion to scams, and victims reported that 12% of those scams used AI or deepfakes.
- Stop Scams Alliance CEO Ken Westbrook said scams are growing more organized and harder to detect, especially as AI tools spread.
- The report found scams often use fake websites, phone calls, texts, and emails, and they can cause serious financial and mental harm.
Impact on the People
Negative Impact
AI-made scams can cost households and small businesses money, and victims may also face stress and lasting harm.
Positive Impact
Gallup and Stop Scams Alliance data can help the US better measure scam losses and target prevention efforts.
How did each entity affect people?
Rate how each entity in this article affected the American people.
- Primary:CEO Ken Westbrookperson
- Major:Gallupeducational / research institution
Candidate Entities5 candidates · 5 weighted vote min · 70% decision
- CEO Ken WestbrookpersonPrimaryEvaluated
Named founder and CEO of Stop Scams Alliance, prominently quoted and central to the story’s claims.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Gallupeducational / research institutionMajorEvaluated
Co-conducted the survey that drives the article’s main statistics and findings.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Interpolinternational organizationMajorAI selected
International police organization whose warning about AI-fueled fraud is a major supporting point.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - OpenAIcompanyMajorAI selected
Named AI company whose technologies are cited as being used in scam attempts.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Federal Trade Commissiongovernment agency or bodyContextCandidate
Cited as the U.S. complaint repository used for comparison, but not a central actor in the article.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold
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