We’ve all seen the videos. Influencers telling us how we can make easy money by exploiting this little-known tool that you add to your browser, then sit back and let it do the work. Except, recent reports have shown that not only is the idea false, but the person might be AI generated and the plug-in you’ve installed is actually malware.
Digital scams in 2025 are growing ever-more sophisticated, aided by free and easy-to-use AI software that can generate images, emails and even videos that are very hard to tell from the real thing.
So, what should you be on the look-out for in 2025 and how can you ensure you don’t fall victim to the new breed of cons and scams?
What are the threats in 2025?
Recently, there have been some curious changes in the cybersecurity data, indicating a shift in how cybercriminals are pursuing their victims. In the recently published Gen Threat Report from Gen Digital, it notes that there has been a marked decrease in blocked attacks in the first quarter of 2025. This might seem like good news, as it suggests less attacks, but what it actually shows is that the ‘pray and spray’ methods traditionally used are being replaced by far more targeted attacks that try to exploit a person’s vulnerabilities.
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For instance, in the run up to the recent inauguration of US President Donald Trump, a Cybercriminal group called CryptoCore made millions in scams that utilised hacked YouTube accounts and used Deepfake technology to create videos that appeared to feature Trump and Elon Musk promoting fraudulent giveaway events.
Phishing attacks have also gotten smarter, with the Gen Threat report stating that the first quarter of 2025 saw a massive 466% rise in this style of scam. Alongside new AI tools allowing the quick creation of authentic looking sites and emails, there’s been a trend where criminals use sites like Weebly and Wix, so the web address looks real and bypasses many security scans. This means you receive an email warning of something wrong with one of your accounts, and a link to go to the site and fix the error. Of course, the site is false, and your details are instantly stolen.
Perhaps the most disturbing trend is that of Deepfake YouTube influencers. These are realistic-looking presenters (all created by AI) that post videos instructing you how to make money by installing browser plug-ins, which of course are compromised and steal your data. They often use YouTube channel names that are almost identical to popular sites just to keep up the pretence. Essentially, the scam takes you through the installation of malware on your system by you – something called a Scam-Yourself Attack. According to the Gen Threat Report, 2025 has so far seen a worrying 1700% increase in this style of con, with no signs of it slowing down.
How to protect yourself from the most common scams
Staying safe is getting harder each year, but there are some simple tips that can help you avoid getting caught out by the most popular attacks.
Don’t trust urgent pop-ups: If you see a message warning you against something wrong with your account, and which requires immediate attention, just stop for a moment. Most scams use time pressures to force people into making mistakes. Just wait and think about what’s being said. If it’s an account problem, go directly to your service and check with them to see if it’s authentic
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication: Most services and sites now offer MFA, which requires a code being sent to your mobile when logging in. Turn it on, as it’s an effective way to help protect your accounts from being hacked.
Verify sources: Before taking the advice of supposed YouTube influencers, be sure to search for their name and any reports of their activities. If you can’t find anything, then they could well be Deepfaked and trying to steal your information. Also, check web addresses and emails for spelling errors, as these are often a sign of a fake.
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Fight fire with fire by using dedicated security software
The simple truth is that the scammers are now coming at you with highly sophisticated tools, and it’s almost impossible to stay on guard all the time. That’s why it’s a good idea to use dedicated software to help you in the fight. Real-time scam detection software can act as a kind of digital scam radar, watching out for the dangers you might miss because you’re busy or tired.
One good option is Scam Guardian, a new suite of tools that comes with the Avast Free Antivirus package. A centre-point of the software is the Avast Assistant, an AI-powered interface that allows you to ask questions about digital safety as well as easily check suspicious online messages, offers and more. If you’re worried about a particular item, then you can upload the text, email, link or image and Avast Assistant will quickly analyse it for scam risks. Web Guard is another tool that can scan websites for threats that include hidden scams.
If you sign up to the Avast Premium Security tier then you’ll get everything already mentioned plus Email Guard which, as the name suggests, will scan and flag any potentially suspicious emails before they get to you.
You shouldn’t be in this alone, so using something like Scam Guardian can help you develop a personal security net to stop cybercriminals stealing your information.
Scammers are using AI. It’s time your protection did too. Scam Guardian works on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, so there’s no weak spots for hackers to exploit.
The cybercriminals shouldn’t have all the best tools, so be sure to look at how you can upgrade your security today.
