What is an AI voice scam?

In an AI voice scam, a cyber criminal uses AI technology to replicate the sound of an individual’s voice. They use this fake voice to manipulate others into providing money or sensitive information.

How can you tell if a video is a deepfake?

Deepfake videos may contain flaws such as unrealistic skin texture, warping around the face edges, and unnatural eye or mouth movements. Text in a deepfake video may appear scrambled or change from frame to frame. However, technological advances are making deepfake videos increasingly harder to identify.

How can you tell if an image is AI-generated?

AI-generated images may contain scrambled text, unrealistic hands or faces, inconsistent lighting and shadows, or other distortions. If you’re wondering about the authenticity of an image, a reverse image search can show whether it appears elsewhere on the internet, which may provide additional context. You can also use an AI detection tool, but these tools cannot identify AI images with 100% certainty. Most importantly, check the source of the image. Note who posted it and whether it appears on trusted websites. .

What should I do if I get a suspicious call from a “family member”?

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be your loved one, it’s best to slow down and verify who they are before taking action. Scammers often fabricate emergencies such as an arrest or car accident to manipulate you into acting before you think. Contact your loved one using a phone number or account you know is legitimate and check with other family members to verify the situation.

How do I know if a job interview is fake?

Fake job interviews and recruiter scams often seem too good to be true. The recruiter may offer unusually high pay or promise to hire you almost immediately. The “interview” may take place on a casual chat app instead of an established video call platform. Be suspicious of any job that requires upfront payment or sends you a check to purchase equipment. The scammer may tell you to send part of the money back or make another payment before the check is discovered to be fake. Unfortunately, even a video interview doesn’t guarantee that a job is real because deepfake technology can make impersonators look real. Make sure to verify the recruiter or hiring manager through the company’s official website.

Why are software updates important for security?

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that can open the door to cyber attacks. By keeping your devices and software programs updated, you ensure they have the most current protections.

Where do I report an online scam?

Report online scams through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov or the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov .

How can I spot a deepfake voice?

Deepfake voices may have unusual cadences or sound robotic. You may notice odd word choices or the absence of human sounds like breathing, sniffing, or throat clearing.

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Spot Deepfakes, Voice Clones, and AI Scams: How to Protect Yourself Online

By DeVry University

October 13, 2026

8 min read

Unnatural blinking, odd speech patterns, and warped images can be signs that you’re dealing with a deepfake — but visual and audio clues aren’t always enough. Protecting yourself online starts with a few simple habits: Keep your accounts and devices locked, treat all suspicious communication with caution, and contact people and organizations directly through trusted channels.

While AI has made deepfakes and voice cloning scams appear more realistic, scammer tactics remain the same. Be wary of the following red flags:

Urgent or unusual requests
Intimidating or threatening language
Demands for secrecy
Behavior that seems out of character for the person someone claims to be

Learning these warning signs can make it easier to spot deepfakes and scams before you act on them.

Why online scams look different in the AI era

Scams that used to require significant time and energy from a skilled cyber criminal can now be created using widely available AI tools. From cloned voices and synthetic videos to sophisticated phishing emails, scammers can create convincing scams faster and in much larger numbers.

The FBI’s July 2026 public service announcement warns that scammers are even impersonating Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) personnel — the very individuals working to combat internet crime. Using fake websites and AI-generated videos, these scammers pose as FBI officials then use that trust to steal personal or financial information.

How to spot a deepfake before it’s too late

Deepfakes can take the form of videos, audio recordings, or images. In a typical voice cloning scam, criminals gather voice samples from social media videos and voicemail greetings, then use AI to clone the voice of someone you know.

Scams like these often include the following:

Urgent requests for money — often in the form of cryptocurrency, gift cards, and wire transfers
Fictitious, emotionally charged emergencies
Pressure to stay on the line or keep the call a secret

Scammers can “spoof” or alter the number they’re calling from, meaning a familiar number on your caller ID doesn’t guarantee the call is legitimate.

What to do if you receive a suspicious call

If you think someone is using an audio deepfake to contact you, hang up immediately and only communicate with the person or organization through a number you know is legitimate. For example, if the caller claims to be from your bank, call the number listed on your bank statement.

Some families use a shared “safe word” to help confirm a loved one’s identity when a call seems suspicious. Scammers can gain access to personal information, so questions like “What’s your middle name?” may not be a reliable way to confirm a caller’s identity.

Report voice cloning or deepfake scams like these through the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.

Deepfakes are getting better. Here’s how to tell what’s real.

Deepfakes and other AI media may contain flaws like odd shadows, lip-sync delays, misspelled words, or visual glitches. However, as AI technology improves, it becomes harder to distinguish between real and AI-generated media.

Instead of relying on what you see or hear, verify the source: Find out who posted or shared the media and check whether official websites confirm it. You can also use a reverse image search tool to see if an image has been posted elsewhere on the internet.

Fake job interviews and recruiter scams

Fake job interview scams attempt to exploit job seekers by stealing their personal and financial information. While hiring practices vary, you can look for these warning signs:

Typical hiring practices	Red flags of a scam
Pay is within the typical range for the role	Pay is unusually high
Interviews include a live conversation	Interviews happen entirely through chat apps like WhatsApp or Telegram
Hiring process involves multiple steps	Job offer is instant
Sensitive information is requested only when legitimately needed	Recruiter or employer asks for your banking details, SSN, or other sensitive personal data before a job offer
No payment required to get the job	You're asked to pay for equipment or training
Employer provides equipment or reimburses approved purchases	You're sent a check to deposit, then told to buy equipment or send money back

Protect yourself from fake job interview scams by verifying recruiters and jobs independently. Look for the job opening on the company’s official careers page, check the recruiter’s company email and LinkedIn, and contact the company directly using contact information you find yourself.

Recognize phishing and social engineering attempts

According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, more than 90% of successful cyber attacks begin with a phishing email — one of the most common forms of social engineering. Instead of exploiting a technical vulnerability, social engineering scams trick people through deception and manipulation. For example, a phishing email may impersonate a trusted company to get you to enter login credentials or send money.

Before the AI age, phishing messages often included typos and grammar mistakes that made them easier to identify. However, there are still things you can do to spot and avoid phishing attempts:

Check the sender’s email address.
Hover over links to see where the link takes you.
Type official company URLs directly into your browser.
Watch for urgency, threats, or requests to communicate through a separate app.

If you receive a phishing email or text message, avoid clicking links or downloading attachments. Report the phishing attempt using the “report spam” or “report phishing” button and delete it.

Why software updates matter more than ever

Software updates or “patches” fix the security vulnerabilities cyber criminals may use to access your devices or data — and AI technologies allow attackers to find and exploit these vulnerabilities faster. With the rise in AI-assisted cyber crime, it’s never been more important to keep software and systems updated.

Keep yourself and your devices safe by following these steps:

Turn on automatic updates for your apps, browsers, and software.
Perform updates as soon as they’re available instead of clicking “remind me later.”
Only download updates from official sources.

Your online protection checklist

There’s no single step that can protect you from scams. However, a few online safety habits can help you spot scams sooner and better protect yourself from phishing attempts, AI voice scams, and deepfakes. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recommends the following actions:

Create strong, unique passwords for every app or website.
Use a password manager.
Turn on multifactor authentication.
Enable auto-updates on all your devices.

Remember to report scams through ReportFraud.ftc.gov or IC3.gov to help authorities identify trends and warn others about new threats.

Other steps you can take to avoid scams include:

Verifying unusual requests or messages through a trusted channel.
Creating a family safe word to confirm your loved ones’ identities.
Slowing down and watching for red flags before interacting with a text, email, or website.

Turn your interest in cyber security into a career

As cyber attacks become more pervasive, there’s a higher demand for professionals who can understand and prevent these attacks. If you’re interested in joining the fight against cyber crime, check out our cyber security programs.

Explore how DeVry can help you build cyber security skills

Learn how you can go from spotting scams to stopping cyber attacks. Connect with us today.

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Frequently asked questions

In an AI voice scam, a cyber criminal uses AI technology to replicate the sound of an individual’s voice. They use this fake voice to manipulate others into providing money or sensitive information.
Deepfake videos may contain flaws such as unrealistic skin texture, warping around the face edges, and unnatural eye or mouth movements. Text in a deepfake video may appear scrambled or change from frame to frame. However, technological advances are making deepfake videos increasingly harder to identify.
AI-generated images may contain scrambled text, unrealistic hands or faces, inconsistent lighting and shadows, or other distortions. If you’re wondering about the authenticity of an image, a reverse image search can show whether it appears elsewhere on the internet, which may provide additional context. You can also use an AI detection tool, but these tools cannot identify AI images with 100% certainty.

Most importantly, check the source of the image. Note who posted it and whether it appears on trusted websites.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be your loved one, it’s best to slow down and verify who they are before taking action. Scammers often fabricate emergencies such as an arrest or car accident to manipulate you into acting before you think. Contact your loved one using a phone number or account you know is legitimate and check with other family members to verify the situation.
Fake job interviews and recruiter scams often seem too good to be true. The recruiter may offer unusually high pay or promise to hire you almost immediately. The “interview” may take place on a casual chat app instead of an established video call platform.

Be suspicious of any job that requires upfront payment or sends you a check to purchase equipment. The scammer may tell you to send part of the money back or make another payment before the check is discovered to be fake.

Unfortunately, even a video interview doesn’t guarantee that a job is real because deepfake technology can make impersonators look real. Make sure to verify the recruiter or hiring manager through the company’s official website.
Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that can open the door to cyber attacks. By keeping your devices and software programs updated, you ensure they have the most current protections.

The information presented here is true and accurate as of the date of publication. DeVry’s programmatic offerings and their accreditations are subject to change. Please refer to the current academic catalog for details.