Better Business Bureau: Protect yourself from deepfake scams

May 24, 2026 - 00:51

Artificial intelligence is changing the way businesses and consumers interact every day, and scammers are quickly learning to use it against you. The Better Business Bureau is sounding the alarm on a growing wave of deepfake scams that use AI-generated audio, video, and images to impersonate trusted people. These fakes can make a boss, a family member, or a customer service agent look and sound real, but they are entirely fabricated.

The BBB explains that deepfakes often appear in urgent calls or messages. A scammer might clone a CEO's voice and call an employee demanding a wire transfer. Or they might send a video of a "friend" asking for money to cover an emergency. The technology is so advanced that even a short clip of someone's voice from social media is enough to create a convincing fake.

To protect yourself, the BBB recommends verifying any unusual request through a separate channel. If you get a call from your boss asking for money, hang up and call them back on a known number. Never rely on caller ID alone, because scammers can spoof that too. Look for glitches in video calls, like odd blinking or mismatched lip movements. And set up a safe word with family members that you can use to confirm identity in a crisis.

The BBB also advises limiting what you share online. The more public video and audio of you that exists, the easier it is for scammers to build a deepfake. As AI tools get cheaper and more accessible, these scams will only become more common. Staying cautious and skeptical is the best defense.