The best defense against the rise of AI-driven scams is a return to basic human skepticism, according to cybersecurity expert Morgan Wright.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, enabling increasingly sophisticated financial scams, cybersecurity experts are emphasizing that the most effective defense is not advanced detection software but rather good old-fashioned human skepticism.
Cybercriminals are leveraging AI technologies to create hyperrealistic phishing scams and voice cloning fraud schemes, targeting average Americans who are often vulnerable to exploitation. Morgan Wright, a noted cybersecurity expert, highlights the importance of skepticism in the face of these threats.
“Let’s go back to around 1860, when Edgar Allan Poe wrote, ‘Believe nothing that you hear and only one half that you see,’” Wright told Fox News Digital. “That advice is as good now as it was 160 years ago.”
AI technology has empowered bad actors to automate and scale personalized fraud schemes, making them more accessible to everyday citizens. Generative tools can eliminate language barriers, craft convincing phishing messages, and create hyperrealistic voice and video clones.
Fraudsters can capture just a few seconds of audio—often taken from social media—to convincingly replicate the voice of a family member. Wright pointed to the alarming case of Deborah Del Mastro, a California mother who lost thousands of dollars after scammers used AI to clone her daughter’s voice in a distressing kidnapping hoax.
“It’s my daughter’s voice,” Del Mastro recalled during an interview on The CyberGuy Report podcast. “And she’s having a panic attack.” Believing her daughter was in immediate danger, Del Mastro transferred over $5,000 to the scammers before realizing she had been deceived.
Wright noted, “When you can fool a mother, that’s how good these things are getting.” He explained that voice-cloning technology relies on manipulation, influence, and deceit. The more urgent the situation sounds, the more likely individuals are to lower their guard and take action.
Wright, who has trained federal, state, and local law enforcement in behavioral analysis, interviewing, and interrogation—including teams at the FBI and the National Security Agency—stressed that every scam exploits basic psychological triggers. His primary advice for anyone receiving a suspicious call or message is to pause before reacting.
“We’re not storming the beaches at Normandy; you’re not going to get arrested,” Wright said. “No law enforcement agency sends you an unsolicited text saying you’re about to get arrested.”
While AI platforms are rolling out updated security features, scammers are continuously finding ways to circumvent them, making software-based detection a constantly moving target. “We hear about all the different models from xAI, Anthropic, OpenAI, and Gemini. They change models constantly,” Wright explained. “So, when the model changes, how effective is detection software? We don’t know because this stuff is moving so fast. What you see today will be drastically different tomorrow.”
In an age where technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, the importance of skepticism cannot be overstated. As Wright advises, taking a moment to think critically about the information we receive could be the key to protecting ourselves from the growing threat of AI-driven scams.
According to Fox News, the rise of AI technology in the hands of scammers underscores the need for vigilance and skepticism in our interactions, both online and offline.