Don't Fall for Scam-Yourself Attacks

NEW YORK – You've probably seen them. Facebook ads or YouTube videos promising a fast way to make extra money using a browser plug-in or a little-known trading trick. It might look polished and professional. The person might seem credible. But in many cases, neither the advice nor the person is real.

Scams in 2025 are harder to spot than ever. That's because criminals are now using artificial intelligence to build fake people who speak directly to you. They appear in convincing videos, explain how to use financial tools and walk you through installing something on your computer or phone. What they're really doing is guiding you through the steps to hand over your personal information or money. These are called scam-yourself attacks, and they're the fastest-growing type of digital scam right now.

The latest Gen Threat Report shows a sharp increase this year in these types of attacks, especially on YouTube and Facebook. On YouTube, scammers take over real accounts, rename them to look like trusted companies and then fill the channel with content that links to the real business. It's a clever strategy that makes the account look legitimate at first glance. They also run video ads that are only shown to people who've searched for related topics, like cryptocurrency or finance tools. The scam videos are unlisted, meaning you can't find them through a search. Instead, they're quietly placed in your feed by YouTube's own ad system.

One common scam this year has been the Trading Bot Scam. Threat Gen identified more than 15 different personas in a set of 500 videos on YouTube touting a get-rich-quick scheme. The videos promise fast profits by taking advantage of cryptocurrency price differences. The instructions are always the same: Paste a short bit of code into an online tool used for writing blockchain contracts. What's not explained is that once you put money into that contract, it's instantly transferred to the scammer's account.

And it's not just YouTube. Facebook is still the biggest home for these scams. In the first part of this year, nearly two-thirds of social media scams happened there. You might see ads offering AI trading bots or easy income tricks, or you might get a private message that appears to come from someone you know. The goal is the same: get you to click, install or pay.

Sometimes it's nearly impossible to tell what's real and what's not. Social media platforms now require content that is AI generated to be labeled as such. So, if you do see a label, that's actually a good sign. Real scams are unlikely to include that tag. And if you're ever unsure, you don't have to figure it out on your own. Try asking ChatGPT whether an image or video might be AI generated. I did this myself recently after receiving a press photo of some vessels. I uploaded a photo and asked if the boats were AI-generated, and here's part of what I got back:

• "Natural lighting and shadows: The lighting and shadows on the vessels, the dock, and the people are consistent with a real photograph taken in natural daylight.
• "Reflections and water interaction: The water's interaction with the hulls, including the slight rippling and reflections, looks physically accurate and difficult to fake convincingly.
• "Human presence: The presence of people standing on the dock and their natural postures further suggest this is a real photo."

I didn't need to guess. And neither do you.

There are a few more things you can do to stay safe. Start by slowing down. Most scams pressure you to act fast. If someone says you'll miss out on a deal or that your account is at risk unless you respond right away, take a pause. Go directly to the company's website or app and check there. Avoid any online venture related to cryptocurrency.

Look closely at names and addresses. A scam site might be spelled almost exactly like a real one, but with one letter off. On YouTube, check who actually posted the video, not just the name of the channel. It's easy to link to a company's real videos and pretend to be them.

And trust your instincts. If it seems too good to be true, or if the person talking feels off, get a second opinion before you click a link. Ask a family member, call a friend or open up ChatGPT. AI scams are getting smarter, but that doesn't mean we have to fall for them. With a little awareness, a pause before you click and the right questions, you can keep yourself safe without needing a tech background or expensive tools.

© Copyright (c) 2025, Standard-Examiner