by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Experts warn Northern Colorado residents to slow down and verify identities as AI-powered scams become harder to detect
Northern Colorado residents are being urged to stay alert as artificial intelligence-powered scams continue to rise across the United States, with new FBI data showing nearly $900 million was stolen from victims through AI-enabled fraud schemes in 2025.
The FBI’s latest Internet Crime Report marked the first time AI scams were highlighted as a distinct category, reflecting the growing sophistication of online fraud. According to the report, AI-related fraud cases surged more than 1,200% last year, while phishing and spoofing scams accelerated by over 85%. Financial losses from these scams also more than doubled, rising from an average of $1,000 to more than $2,000 per victim.
Cybersecurity and financial experts say the timing is especially concerning heading into summer, when online shopping, travel bookings, and seasonal promotions create more opportunities for scammers to exploit consumers.
Experts from BrokerChooser shared several tactics consumers can use to identify suspicious AI-generated phone calls and video interactions before providing personal or financial information.
One method involves what experts call the “lag trap test.” During a suspicious phone call, people are encouraged to ask rapid, unpredictable questions to see whether the caller hesitates or responds unnaturally. AI systems often struggle with interruptions and may process each question independently rather than naturally adapting to the flow of conversation.
Another warning sign can appear during video calls. Experts recommend asking the caller to move their camera or interact naturally with their environment. Deepfake technology can convincingly simulate faces, but it often struggles with real-world movement and spatial awareness, leading to awkward delays or unrealistic background motion.
Consumers are also advised to pay close attention to facial movements during video conversations. AI-generated voices and faces may exhibit unnatural blinking patterns or lip movements that do not align with speech, especially when pronouncing sounds that require closed lips, such as “P,” “B,” or “M.”
Experts say scammers increasingly rely on urgency and emotional pressure to manipulate victims into making quick financial decisions. Investment scams, fake account verification requests, and impersonations of banks or government agencies remain among the most common tactics.
“Protecting your capital starts with slowing down the interaction, not speeding it up,” said Adam Nasli, Head Broker Analyst at BrokerChooser. “If you cannot independently verify who you’re speaking to, you are most likely dealing with a scam.”
For Northern Colorado residents, the warning serves as a reminder to independently confirm suspicious requests before sharing sensitive information, especially during busy travel and shopping seasons when scam activity traditionally spikes.
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Source: BrokerChooser study and media release. Full report available at BrokerChooser Best Forex Brokers Study