Protecting Yourself from AI-Powered Scams: What You Need to Know Right Now
I almost fell for one this week.
A recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn with a polished profile, a real name, and an opportunity that felt almost eerily well-suited to my background. I was genuinely interested because it was an opportunity that would have fit under my Tailored FP umbrella, until the follow-up email arrived from a Gmail address. :/
A recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn with a polished profile, a real name, and an opportunity that felt almost eerily well-suited to my background. I was genuinely interested because it was an opportunity that would have fit under my Tailored FP umbrella, until the follow-up email arrived from a Gmail address. :/
That one detail stopped me. When I looked closer, the profile was an impersonation of a real person, the job didn't exist, and the endgame was almost certainly a pitch to pay for "resume rewriting services." A sophisticated scam dressed in a very convincing costume, and a real hit to my ego around what I thought were good resume-writing skills.
I'm sharing this because I consider myself a careful person, and I almost didn't catch it. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone you know. So let's talk about what's out there and how to protect yourself.
Why AI Changes Everything
Scams have always existed. What's changed is how good they've gotten.
AI can now analyze your LinkedIn, your social media, and your public records to craft something that feels personally relevant to you. It can clone a voice from a few seconds of audio. It can write in flawless, emotionally intelligent prose. And it's all designed to do one thing: keep you moving forward before your gut instinct kicks in.
The weapons are urgency, flattery (my possible downfall this last week), and fear. AI just makes the delivery more convincing than ever.
The Scams Most Likely to Find You
Fake Recruiting & Professional Impersonation Just like I experienced this week, scammers impersonate real recruiters or executives on LinkedIn, craft hyper-personalized outreach, and steer you toward a fee: resume services, background check payments, or harvesting your personal information for a fake application.
Watch for: Follow-up emails from free domains (Gmail, Yahoo) instead of a company address. Any request for payment during a hiring process- this will never be asked from a legitimate employer.
The Distressed Person Call A cloned voice of someone you love calls in a panic. They've been in an accident, they're in trouble, they need money now, and they're begging you not to tell anyone.
Watch for: Extreme urgency, requests for wire transfers or gift cards, and pressure to keep it secret. Hang up and call them back directly.
Hyper-Personalized Phishing A message arrives that references something specific: a recent purchase, a mutual connection, an event you attended. The detail makes it feel real. A link or request follows.
Watch for: Urgency around clicking a link or sharing information. Accuracy is no longer proof of legitimacy.
Fake Authority Alerts Someone impersonates your bank, the IRS, or another institution, claiming there's an urgent issue that must be resolved immediately.
Watch for: Unsolicited contact demanding immediate payment or personal details. Legitimate institutions don't pressure you to act on the spot.
Investment & Relationship Scams An AI-powered persona (a professional contact, romantic interest, or new friend) builds trust over weeks before introducing a "can't miss" investment opportunity.
Watch for: Any investment introduced by someone you met online, no matter how well you feel you know them.
What To Do When Something Feels Off
Stop. A real emergency or a real opportunity will still be there in 60 seconds.
Verify. Reach out through a channel you already trust: a saved number or an official website. Never use contact information from the suspicious message itself.
Look for the seams. In my case it was the Gmail address. There's almost always something: a thin profile, a slightly off domain, a request that doesn't quite fit the context. Slow down and look.
Call your financial advisor. If it involves money or anything financial, reach out before you act. That’s what we are here for!
A Note for Parents
A few extra things worth thinking about if you have kids at home:
Children are often the entry point. Scammers who befriend a child through gaming or social media may eventually extract family details (your address, your schedule, your bank) that get used against you later.
Consider setting up a family safe word, a simple code only your household knows. If someone calls claiming to be a family member in crisis and can't produce the word, hang up and call back directly. It sounds simple because it is, and it works.
And make it a normal conversation. Kids who feel safe coming to you when something online feels weird are your best early warning system.
How I Work to Protect You
Knowing what real communication from me looks like from your advisor is one of your best defenses against someone impersonating them, so here is my approach with my clients:
I will never ask you to move money urgently via text or email. If you get a message like that appearing to be from me, call my office directly.
Every significant transaction requires a phone call. No exceptions. This is a deliberate protection built for high-pressure moments.
I watch for unusual activity. If something looks off on your end, I'll reach out. That's by design.
No question is too small. Suspicious email, weird LinkedIn message, strange phone call: send it my way. I'd rather field ten false alarms than miss the real one.
We'll talk about this every year. Scam tactics evolve fast. Financial safety is a standing topic in our annual conversations.
The Bottom Line
I'm someone who thinks carefully about risk every day, and I still almost got fooled. That's not embarrassing; that's the point. These scams are that good now.
But they still rely on the same thing they always have: catching you off guard before you have a chance to think. A moment of pause and a quick phone call will stop nearly every one of them.
You don't need to be a tech expert. You just need a habit, a healthy skepticism, and someone in your corner, (and if we work together, that's what I'm here for!)
Questions or want to talk through your own financial safety protocols? Reach out anytime. I'm always happy to connect.
Stacy Dervin, CFA, CFP® provides fee-only financial planning and investment management services in Eugene, Oregon. Tailored Financial Planning (TFP) serves clients as a fiduciary and never earns a commission of any kind. As a financial advisor, Stacy is on a mission to help Gen X and Gen Y be truly proactive about their financial futures.
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice, research or an invitation to buy or sell any securities. Please consult a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation and see our full disclaimer here.
