CLEARWATER, Fla. — Cybersecurity experts warn that artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes are becoming the primary tool for scammers targeting unsuspecting victims, with losses expected to skyrocket in the coming year.
Roger Grimes, a cybersecurity expert with Clearwater-based security awareness company KnowBe4, demonstrated how easily criminals can create convincing fake videos and audio using readily available software, pictures and voice samples.
"By the end of 2026, so we're talking just over a year, it's going to be the majority of the way scams are done," Grimes said.
WATCH: AI deepfakes fuel surge in online scams targeting families
The technology has caught the attention of national leaders, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, who used AI voice cloning software during a recent Senate hearing to demonstrate the threat.
"That voice was not mine. The words were not mine. And the audio was AI voice cloning software," Blumenthal said.
Grimes, who has written 16 books on cybersecurity, created deep fake videos within minutes using photos and voice samples.
In one demonstration, he used a still picture to create a fake video that appeared to show me speaking words I never said.
Targeting families with fake emergencies
Scammers are using similar tools to target people by taking images and voices from online sources like social media, creating fake emergencies involving family members.
"The scary part is it can be a voicemail left to you. Hackers are doing these fake kidnappings. They're calling grandparents to say that your grandchild has been in an accident. They need $5,000 to get out of trouble," Grimes said.
"When I talk to the parents and the grandparents, they're like, that was my child. That was my grandchild for sure," he said.
These scams represent big business for criminals who often operate overseas.
"Every day that's their job, 9 to 5, is to try to scam people out of their money," Grimes said.
Losses reach billions
Last year, the FBI received more than 859,000 complaints involving online scams, resulting in $16.6 billion in losses — up 33% over 2023, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center report.
"It's very big business. Tens of thousands of people are trained in different countries like North Korea and Russia to perform these scams," Grimes said.
The rise of AI technology has made 2025 a pivotal year for artificial intelligence. Time Magazine named the "Architects of AI" the Persons of the Year for "delivering the age of thinking machines" and "for wowing and worrying humanity."
Protection through awareness
Grimes says the best way to avoid falling victim is to use common sense and remain skeptical of unexpected requests.
"Even if it's a deepfake AI, they've got to still scam you," Grimes said.
"If it's an unexpected message asking you do something you've never done before, research it, even if it sounds and looks like somebody you know," he said.
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Adam Walser has spent more than a decade fighting for what’s right in Tampa Bay as part of the I-Team. He’s helped expose flaws in Florida’s eldercare system and held leaders accountable for how they use your tax dollars. Reach out to Adam with any issue you think he needs to investigate.
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