From Grok to Facetune, from Romance Scams to Crypto Scams, from Email Scams to WhatsApp Scams, DEEP FAKE SCAMS are on the rise.
We released a video on this subject back in October 2025, which you can check out here:
Investment Scams in the UK – How to Spot Fraud and Get Your Money Back
What Are These Scams Set Up to Do?
Like most scams, the objective is simple. Scammers want to part you with your money.
This is done by presenting amazing offers that are too hard to resist.
Why Do People Fall for It?
Some scams are so sophisticated that you may wonder why the people involved do not just do something legitimate. The reality is that theft carries no overheads or obligations. Once they have your money, they are gone, and with A.I. these scams have become significantly harder to spot.
What Are the Implications for People?
It’s about more than money.
Often, it is the most desperate people who are targeted. In the UK at the moment, the consensus is that people are struggling more than ever. When someone offers an opportunity to make more money through an investment, to join a special investors club, to learn to trade crypto, or to invest in timeshare, scammers carefully select their targets.
The repercussions can be catastrophic, both financially and emotionally, as victims often feel too ashamed to talk about it and are left harbouring feelings of regret and failure.
When it comes to investing, this is one of the reasons regulations exist. Before sending money to anybody, make sure you thoroughly research the company involved, especially if money is being sent overseas.
In June 2025, we reported on a scam involving the CEO of one of the UK’s largest fund managers, Hargreaves Lansdown.
In this situation, an A.I. avatar of the CEO had been created, and potential investors were invited to an exclusive investor group.
WhatsApp Scam – How Fake Hargreaves Lansdown Groups Can Still Lead to Compensation
What you see is no longer what you get, and it has been going on longer than you might think.
Social Media and Data Mining
Firstly, data mining has been a major issue for years. Personal data is available for purchase, and many of the free competitions you see across social media exist solely to capture your information.
Today, it is very easy for criminals to find out details about you just from your social media accounts. For example, whether you have children, whether you are married, whether you are a homeowner, or where you holiday. LinkedIn will often reveal where you have worked and the type of role you do.
Data companies profile this information and make it available for purchase.
Before clicking “accept” to enter a competition or taking a quiz to predict your astrological future, stop and think. Are the questions you are answering things you are comfortable with anybody knowing about you?
How Is A.I. Changing the Landscape?
Sadly, A.I. is playing many complex roles in supporting scams.
Firstly, A.I. is incredibly effective at analysing data. Scammers use A.I. to quickly link information across multiple data sources, allowing them to collate everything into one profile. They then use that information when contacting you to gain your trust.
For example, someone who knows your name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address, companies registered to your name, who you bank with, and where you have worked has a far better chance of impersonating someone you trust.
A.I. also enables the creation of realistic impersonations of real people. Technology such as Grok and Synthesia can create lifelike avatars of public figures or people you may recognise, convincing victims to part with money through investment scams, romance scams, or so-called honey traps.
How Do Scams Tend to Work?
Scammers are selective about who they target and are not averse to sharing data with one another. They refer to victims as “marks”. A mark is usually someone who has already shown vulnerability to scams.
If you have previously been a victim of a scam, be extra vigilant going forward.
What Are the Regulators Doing About It?
The Financial Conduct Authority, The Pensions Regulator, and other regulatory bodies primarily exist to prevent fraud and scams. This is why regulations are constantly being updated to tighten controls.
Some key examples are outlined below.
Scorpion – Pension Compensation Claims
“Scorpion” was guidance introduced by The Pensions Regulator in February 2013 and updated in July 2014.
It was initially aimed at identifying and warning against pension liberation and pension scams, particularly where people were pressured into transferring pensions into unsafe schemes.
The guidance placed responsibility on trustees and providers to:
- Look for scam warning signs
- Carry out additional checks on receiving schemes
- Issue the “Scorpion” warning leaflet to members
What Can You Do?
If the guidance was not followed, pension savers who lost money because firms failed to warn or check properly may be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman or Pensions Ombudsman for potential redress.
In October 2024, we successfully secured an additional £65,000 in compensation for a client using Scorpion guidance.
HT Legal Ltd Secures Landmark Pension Payout
2018 Banking Regulations – Crypto Claims & Romance Scams
These regulations were introduced as scammers increasingly tricked people into authorising payments, commonly referred to as Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud.
On 7 October 2024, mandatory reimbursement rules came into force, meaning banks must reimburse victims for many authorised scam payments made via Faster Payments or CHAPS.
These measures give banks more time to delay suspicious payments. While this can sometimes feel inconvenient, it is designed to protect you and your hard-earned money.
What Can You Do If You Have Been a Victim of an APP Scam?
1) Scam payments you didn’t intend to make (APP scams)
If you were tricked into sending money, banks must generally reimburse you under the APP framework for eligible payments made on or after 7 October 2024. These rules do not cover crypto wallet transfers.
2) Payments you didn’t authorise at all
Unauthorised transactions must be refunded promptly unless gross negligence applies.
3) Crypto and investment scams
If funds were moved to a crypto wallet or non-bank account, reimbursement may fall outside APP rules, but claims may still exist based on bank conduct.
If a bank fails to act properly, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which can order refunds, interest, and compensation.
How to Get Redress
- Report the scam to your bank immediately
- If reimbursement is refused, complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service
- Report the matter to Action Fraud or the police
- For crypto scams, pursue civil claims or ombudsman complaints where applicable
Summary
If you believe you may have been a victim of any of the above, we offer a free, no-obligation consultation with no judgement.
Scams today are sophisticated, and being a victim of fraud is not a reflection on you.
If you have lost money, do not simply write it off. You may have a limited window to bring a claim, and it costs nothing to find out where you stand. Book a call with one of our experts today.
