Would you know the difference between a real voice and an AI-generated one? How about a scam email that looks like it’s from your best friend or bank—but was written by a bot?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has officially entered the scam game—and it’s making financial fraud feel more personal, more believable, and more dangerous than ever before.

What’s New in Fraud? The Rise of AI Scams
Scammers are using AI to:

  • Clone voices: With just a few seconds of audio from social media or a voicemail, fraudsters can mimic the voice of your loved ones and use it to demand money in an emergency.
  • Write emails and texts: AI can generate personalized, convincing messages that sound exactly like a friend, boss, or even a trusted company.
  • Deepfake videos and photos: These may be used to impersonate public figures, influencers, or even YOU to trick others into handing over money or information.
Why It Works: Trust, Emotion, and Speed
AI-powered scams succeed because they:
  • Feel personal (the message sounds like someone you trust)
  • Create panic or urgency (like a fake emergency or time-sensitive deal)
  • Look professional (logos, emails, or websites are hard to distinguish from the real thing)
Red Flags to Watch For
  • Unusual payment requests (gift cards, wire transfers, crypto)
  • Voices that sound right—but feel slightly off
  • Messages with urgency like “act now” or “don’t tell anyone”
  • Links that are almost correct (double-check URLs and email addresses!)
How to Protect Yourself
  • Pause before you pay: If something feels off, it probably is.
  • Verify, verify, verify: Call the person or business directly using a known number—not one sent to you.
  • Limit what you post online: Scammers mine social media for clues about your life, relationships, and voice.
  • Set up alerts: ALLIANCE Credit Union members can activate account and fraud alerts to catch suspicious activity quickly.

Stay Ahead with ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE Credit Union is always improving fraud detection tools and helping our members stay informed. Whether you're shopping, transferring money, or getting a suspicious message—we’re here to help keep your finances safe.

Remember what ALLIANCE Credit Union may do and what we won't do when verifying account information: 
 

What ALLIANCE May Do
  1. We may notify you of suspicious transactions and request your verification of the transactions.
  2. You may receive a text, call, or email notifying you of potentially fraudulent activity
  3. We will help you cancel any compromised card, change your account numbers, and add password protection to your account for future transactions.
  4. We may ask you to verify personal information if you call us for information pertaining to your accounts.
Tips to Verify the Caller

  1. If you are uncertain about the intentions or identity of the individual calling you, HANG UP.

  2. Call the number back. WAIT! Do not tap the number that called you. Physically type in the local branch number, available on our website, to reach a real ALLIANCE representative. Imposters often spoof real phone numbers and when you hit redial or tap the number that initiated the phone call, it will call the imposter back, providing a false sense of security.

What ALLIANCE will NEVER Do

  1. We will NEVER call, text, or email and ask for your account number.

  2. We will NEVER email you directing you to a website to "verify" your personal or account information.
  3. We will NEVER text you directing you to call a number to "verify" your personal or account information.
  4. We will NEVER ask you for your password or your PIN.

 

If you believe you've been targeted by an imposter scam:

  1. Report it to ALLIANCE Credit Union immediately so we can assist in securing your accounts.

  2. Notify the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

  3. Contact local law enforcement if you suspect fraudulent activity.