On Thursday, 20 November, we discussed new developments in the scammers’ playbooks. On November 6, Google had issued a fraud and Scams advisory which we looked at in detail.
Fraud and Scams 2025 – key takeaways
The 2025 Global Anti-Scam Alliance “State of Scams” report, which surveyed 46,000 people globally, found that 57% of adults experienced a scam in the past year, with 23% reporting money stolen. As the threat landscape evolves, our teams observe that scammers are increasingly misusing AI tools to efficiently scale and enhance their schemes.
e.g.
> Online job scams, where fraudsters impersonate legitimate job-seeking platforms to target vulnerable job seekers, and demand upfront “training” or “processing” fees. Some scams use fake interviews to steal banking or ID info.
> Negative review extortion schemes . Businesses are “review-bombed” with fake one-star reviews, followed by ransom demands to stop the attacks.
> Sophisticated scams impersonating popular AI services, promising “free” or “exclusive” access – which turn out to be malicious apps.
> Fake VPN services: malicious applications disguised as legitimate VPN services.
> Fraud recovery scams target individuals who have already been victimised by previous fraud and exploit them with false promises of asset recovery. Scammers pose as investigators or government agencies, promising to recover stolen funds for an upfront fee.
>Seasonal holiday scams : Scammers tend to increase fraudulent activity during major holiday and shopping periods by exploiting heightened consumer demand and urgency. These seasonal campaigns are designed to lure unsuspecting shoppers with deceptive offers.
Cybersecurity News looked deeper into Black Friday scams:
10 Popular Black Friday Scams – How to Detect the Red Flags and Protect your wallet and Data
From clone websites using lookalike domains and AI-powered deepfake videos impersonating celebrity influencers to QR code fraud (“quishing”), cryptocurrency payment scams, and charity exploitation campaigns, this guide dissects the technical methodologies, psychological manipulation tactics, and attack infrastructure behind modern Black Friday fraud schemes.
>QR Code Fraud (Quishing) QR code scams have emerged as a significant threat during Black Friday 2025. Attackers place fraudulent QR codes on posters, emails, social media posts, and even overlay legitimate codes in public spaces such as parking meters. Scanning these codes redirects victims to malicious websites that install malware or phishing pages that steal credentials.
>AI-Powered Deepfake Scams – Scammers synthesised content from Taylor Swift’s public appearances to falsely advertise Le Creuset giveaways, costing victims thousands of dollars.
>Fake Charity and Donation Scams – scammers impersonating legitimate organizations or creating fake disaster relief funds.
>Cryptocurrency Payment Scams – Fraudulent stores offer “exclusive discounts” for cryptocurrency payments, then disappear with digital assets.
> Counterfeit Products and Marketplace Fraud – Fraudsters post listings on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and eBay for high-demand branded goods at unrealistic prices. These counterfeit products often mimic luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, or mass-market brands like Nike and Adidas which are either never delivered or arrive as extremely poor-quality replicas.
> Gift Card Scams and Fake Vouchers – Scammers distribute fake coupons and vouchers through email and social media, promising unbelievable discounts or gift cards.
Here are some UK examples from Forbes: Scams To Beware In 2025
> Loan fee fraud : opportunistic criminals charge victims a fee for fake loans which they never receive. This type of scam is known as loan fee fraud, and it costs each victim £255 on average, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
> Authorised push payment scams: (APP) scam, victims are tricked into sending money directly to a criminal.
> Parcel delivery scams: criminals pose as legitimate delivery companies to convince victims they need to pay additional fees or reschedule a delivery, in a bid to access their cash, personal information or bank details.
> Identity theft: when fraudsters use a victim’s name and personal information to access their cash or take out credit in their name. Criminals often pose as legitimate organisations – or even government bodies – to trick their victims into sharing personal details or transferring money.
> Ghost brokers: City of London Police has warned young drivers about the ongoing threat of ‘ghost brokers’ — scammers who sell invalid car insurance policies at unrealistically low prices. After making a sale, the scammers send their victims fake insurance documents, or take out a real policy but falsify details such as the driver’s age, address, and history to bring down the premium.
> Insurance fraud Fraudulent insurance claims cost the industry £1.1 billion in 2023, according to data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). When fake claims are made, fraudsters forge evidence to get an insurer to pay out for an incident that never happened, or greatly exaggerate a legitimate claim.
> Investment fraud During a boiler room scam, fraudsters apply pressure tactics to persuade their victims to ‘invest’ in shares or bonds that are worthless or non-existent. Often, these criminals promise exceptionally high returns and tell victims they need to act quickly.
> Pension fraud Fraudsters may also persuade their targets to withdraw a portion of their pension fund, which the scammer promises to reinvest for higher returns.
Banking, Lidl and other recent scams
This article describes the “Club Lloyds” phishing scam, and fake Lidl adverts promoting electric bikes, coffee machines, lounge sets and similar items. The ads link to a scam website. Interestingly, fraudsters had faked Lidl last year. This type of scam is known as a purchase scam. It involves paying for an item online and receiving either something that does not match the description, or nothing at all. UK Finance data cited by Which? shows that in the first half of 2025, £53 million was lost to purchase scams.
Tips for avoiding scams
An offer seems too good to be true. Scammers lure consumers in with promises of cheap deals or high-returns. If something seems too good to be true, Citizens Advice warns, it probably is.
Communications don’t appear genuine. It’s common for scammers to impersonate legitimate organisations such as energy companies or government bodies. If in doubt, get in touch with the company directly to check if the communication is from them.
You are being pressured to act quickly. One tactic scammers use is putting pressure on their victims to act quickly, with promises of limited-time deals, or warnings of negative consequences if action isn’t taken. If you are being asked to transfer money or provide personal details urgently, you may be the target of a scam.
You are being asked to use an unusual payment method. If an organisation you have dealt with in the past is asking you to pay in a new way — such as transferring money to an account you don’t recognise, or using a new payment link — the request may not be legitimate.
You have been asked for personal information. If you receive an email or text message asking you for information such as a PIN or password, do not provide your details. Genuine companies will not ask you to send these details over text or email.
Using AI Tools to find bargains
Apparently, people use AI tools to do their online shopping, and these sometimes be be fooled into going to fake websites. We tested Google Search’s “AI mode” shopping ability by asking it to look for cheap V16 lights (those required by Trafico as of January) using the prompt “Where can I buy low cost V16 lights?” It did a good job, and warned.. ” Beware of very low-priced models, as they may lack features like geolocation, which is required for V16 compliance starting in 2026″
Christine Betterton-Jones – Knowledge Junkie