AI Scams in the News: What the FBI Warning Means for Families

Scammers are using AI to look and sound like people you trust: a government official on a video call, or a grandchild on the phone. The FBI warned about it again on September 17, 2026. The good news is that you do not have to spot the fake. One habit still works: hang up, and call back on a number you already have.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this is the story people keep asking us about. Here is what the warning actually says, what the headlines get wrong, and what to do. It is written so a community can share it with residents and families.

What the FBI Actually Said

On September 17, 2026, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center warned about people pretending to be police and government officials. Between January 2025 and July 2026 it received nearly 61,000 complaints about these scams, with losses of more than $1.6 billion (FBI, I-091726-PSA).

The new part is how convincing they look. The FBI says scammers use tools such as artificial intelligence to appear as officials on video calls, sometimes with a background made to look like a real government office.

One detail is worth knowing: the warning is not aimed at any one age group. Anyone can get these calls. Some news coverage has described it as a warning about seniors. That is not what it says.

The Same Trick Uses Family Voices

The other version is the family emergency call. Someone calls sounding like a grandchild or other relative in trouble, often after an accident or an arrest, and needs money right away. The Federal Trade Commission says scammers now use voice cloning to make these calls sound real (FTC). A short clip of someone talking, such as a video posted online, can be enough to copy a voice.

What the Headlines Get Wrong

A lot of coverage leaves people with one message: you can no longer tell what is real. That is partly true. A cloned voice or a faked video may be hard to tell apart from the real thing, especially when you are worried.

But it skips the part that helps. What the scammer wants has not changed. AI changes the costume. It does not change the ask.

Three Signs That Have Not Changed

1. It is urgent. You have to act now, before you have time to think or check.
2. It is secret. Do not tell anyone, do not hang up, do not call your family.
3. It is about money, in an unusual way. Gift cards, a wire transfer, cash, cryptocurrency, or moving savings to a "safe" account.

When all three show up together, treat the call as a scam until you have checked it yourself, no matter how real the voice or face seems.

The Habit That Works: Hang Up and Call Back

You do not have to win an argument with the caller or prove they are fake. You only have to end the call and reach the real person another way.

• Call back on a number you already have. Not the number the caller gives you, and not one from a link they send. The FBI's advice is the same: verify using official contact information you find yourself.
• Remember that real officials do not call for payment. The FBI says law enforcement and government authorities will never contact the public by phone or text to demand any form of payment.
• Agree on a family safe word. A word only your family knows, set up in person. Anyone in a real emergency can say it. The FBI recommended this in a December 2024 warning about AI fraud (FBI, I-120324-PSA).
• Tell someone. Scammers ask for secrecy because a second person can often end it. A family member, a friend, or a staff member at the front desk all count.

Why This Matters in a Senior Living Community

Residents often turn to staff when a call feels wrong. A front desk that knows the three signs and the call-back habit can help stop a scam in a few minutes, simply by helping someone check. Our free family guide puts both on one printable page.

The same tricks reach the business side too. Microsoft reported on October 2, 2026 that phishing, meaning fake emails and messages that trick people into clicking or sharing a login, was how attackers got in for 23 percent of the break-ins its responders investigated, up from 7 percent the year before (Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2026). The habit is the same for staff: do not act on an urgent request until you have checked it another way. Our guide to security awareness training for senior living staff covers how communities build that habit.

Common Questions

Can you tell if a call or video is made with AI?

Not reliably. The FBI's advice includes listening closely for odd tone or word choice, and that helps, but the safer habit does not depend on spotting anything. Hang up and call back on a number you already have.

Will the police or a government agency ever call and ask for payment?

No. The FBI says law enforcement and government authorities will never contact members of the public by phone or text to demand any form of payment.

What is a family safe word?

A word or phrase only your family knows, agreed in person, that anyone can ask for during an emergency call. The FBI recommended it in a December 2024 warning about AI-generated fraud.

Where do I report a scam call?

To your local police and to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Report it even if no money was lost.