You’re probably all too familiar with the words “potential spam” or “suspicious activity detected” or even a pop-up in Gmail that reads, “This message might be dangerous.” That’s because we are all potential victims of phishing, spoofing and other online scams at all times. According to a new report from the National Consumers League, phishing and spoofing scams increased by over 85%, and the average financial losses caused by such scams have more than doubled, from $1,000 to $2,060.
Generative AI has been integral to the growing number of attacks, which are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. The US Federal Trade Commission reported that Americans lost over $12 billion due to consumer fraud attacks and scams in 2024, a 25% year-over-year increase. These losses are only expected to grow as scams become more convincing, enabled by AI tools that allow scammers to clone voices, create deepfakes, localize messages and personalize the language used in scam emails, texts and social media posts.
“Given widespread evidence that scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence tools to craft better pitches, the rise in phishing complaints is particularly concerning,” John Breyault, the NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud, said in a statement.
Notably, 48% of the 1,376 complaints analyzed by the NCL report involved online scam attempts, marking a distinct shift away from phone scams as the primary method used by attackers.
Young people are vulnerable
There are widespread assumptions that younger people (Millennials and Gen Z) are less likely to be affected by web-based, AI-powered scams because of their digital literacy. While it is true that older adults, age 56 and above, account for more than a third (37.94%) of the complaints, younger adults are also targeted at increasing rates.
The NCL found that millennials accounted for 39.8% of total fraud complaints, and complaints from adults aged 26 to 35 increased by 68.1% year over year.
How to protect yourself online in 2026
While web-based and AI-generated scam attempts are rising and becoming more sophisticated, there are ways to protect yourself online. The NCL says to watch out for anything that seems too good to be true, and suggests familiarizing yourself with popular scam methods, such as fake check scams, fake prize and sweepstakes scams, internet merchandise scams and investment scams.
The Consumer Federation of America, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting American consumers, also recommends that you remain vigilant and question unexpected calls, texts or emails, as well as any messages that have a sense of urgency or threats. For instance, be wary of messages that include language like “act now” or “your account will be locked.”
The CFA also urges you to independently verify communications or individuals by researching phone numbers, names, websites and purported businesses rather than trusting caller ID, links or contact information.
If you suspect you have been a victim of a scam attempt, report it to authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
