In its 2025 Internet Crime Report, the FBI counted 22,364 complaints that involved AI and nearly $900 million in losses, from cloned voices, deepfake videos and AI-written messages. 2027 will be worse, not because the tricks are new, but because they’ll be cheaper, faster and more personal. Here are our nine predictions for 2027 and what to do about each one today.
The short version
- The trend: AI makes old scams (fake family emergencies, fake shops, fake bosses) personal and real-time.
- The best defence is still a habit: hang up and call back on a number you already know.
- A VPN helps with one part: unsafe Wi-Fi and known scam sites. It can’t stop you from trusting a fake voice.
- The predictions below are our forecast, based on trends reported in 2025–2026.
9 AI scams we expect in 2027
| # | Prediction for 2027 | Your defence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live deepfake video calls from a “relative” or “boss” asking for money or a password | A family safe word; ask a question only the real person knows |
| 2 | AI chatbots that groom victims for weeks in romance and “investment” scams, thousands at a time | Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person |
| 3 | Cloned-voice calls pretending to be your bank or a kidnapped family member | Hang up, call back on the number on your card or in your contacts |
| 4 | Fake shops built in minutes during sales, copying real brands with AI images and reviews | Type the store address yourself; pay by card, never bank transfer |
| 5 | Fake support agents in search ads and social media replies | Use the help page inside the official app or website only |
| 6 | Personal parcel and toll texts written with details from data leaks | Check deliveries in the courier’s own app |
| 7 | Deepfake celebrity ads for crypto and “AI trading” platforms | No real celebrity sells guaranteed returns |
| 8 | AI-written fake invoices sent to small businesses | Confirm any new bank details by phone before paying |
| 9 | Attacks on your AI assistant: hidden instructions on web pages that trick shopping or email agents into leaking data or buying things | Keep payments and passwords out of AI agents; review before it acts |
Your 2027 anti-scam checklist
- ☐ Agree on a family safe word today.
- ☐ Hang up and call back on a number you already have, every time money or codes are involved.
- ☐ Turn on passkeys or two-factor login for email, bank and social accounts.
- ☐ Use a password manager so every site has a different password.
- ☐ Never pay by gift card, crypto or wire because someone says it’s urgent.
- ☐ Set social profiles to private; public videos are voice-cloning material.
- ☐ Turn on instant bank alerts and card limits for online payments.
- ☐ Use a VPN on public Wi-Fi and switch on its threat or scam-site protection.
- ☐ Give AI assistants the minimum access, and approve purchases yourself.
Where a VPN helps (and where it doesn’t)
A VPN encrypts your connection and hides your IP address, which protects you on hotel, airport and café Wi-Fi. Many VPNs also block known malicious and phishing sites. It does not detect a cloned voice, and it won’t stop you from typing your password into a brand-new fake page. Treat it as one layer. We compared what VPNs do against AI scams in Can a VPN protect you from AI scams?
VPN deals we list
Shopping this November? Read how to spot fake Black Friday discounts and see the November 2026 sales calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What AI scams will be most common in 2027?
We expect live deepfake video calls, cloned-voice calls, AI chatbots running romance and investment scams at scale, fake shops during sales, and attacks that trick AI assistants. These build on trends the FBI reported for 2025.
How much money is lost to AI scams?
The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report counted 22,364 AI-related complaints with about $893 million in reported losses in the US.
Can a VPN stop AI scams?
Only partly. A VPN protects your connection on public Wi-Fi and many block known scam sites, but it cannot detect a cloned voice or a convincing message. Habits like calling back on a known number matter most.
What is the single best protection against deepfake calls?
A family safe word and a call-back rule: hang up and call the person or company back on a number you already have.
Spicy Coupons may earn a commission when you buy through some links on this page. It never changes your price. Codes come from the stores’ affiliate programmes; always check the conditions at checkout.
Sources: FBI 2025 Internet Crime Report (IC3), as reported by Malwarebytes (June 2026); VPN offers from the VeePN (Admitad) and ExpressVPN (Indoleads) affiliate feeds. Predictions are Spicy Coupons’ own forecast. Last checked: 16 October 2026.
