FBI warns of rapidly developing AI financial scams
Mar 18, 2026, 10:29 AM | Updated: 10:30 am
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
FBI officials at the Seattle Field Office say there is a concerning trend among financial scams: artificial intelligence components.
Seattle Special Agent in Charge Mark Harrington tells us that in Washington State, both the number of victims and dollar losses have tripled since 2020.
They are asking people to get educated and be cautious of sophisticated artificial intelligence financial scams.
“We are seeing this touch every single threat that we investigate,” Harrington said.
The FBI says criminals are rapidly advancing the techniques and methods they use in ransom, romance, and other manipulative financial scams.
“Frauds at their core are about building and exploiting trust, and AI makes it more effective in doing that in a variety of ways,” added Harrington.
Since 2020, the FBI says 4.2 million people across the country have been targeted by a criminal using an AI-generated scam, resulting in $50.5 billion lost.
“AI makes it more convincing to do that,” Harrington said. “They can create emails, chats, they can generate fake photos and even videos to convince a victim that this person (in need) actually does exist and does need their help.”
In 2025, Harrington said 600 Washington residents were scammed out of $25 million.
“These are frauds that have been around a long time, decades. What we are seeing is a change of scale and sophistication based on AI, but they’re still the same frauds; they work the same way,” he said.
Data shows people over 60 years old are the most common targets, with people in their 40s coming in as the second-most scammed.
If you suspect a scam via email, text, phone call, or even a FaceTime, you should verify the source and calmly investigate.
If you do lose money in a scam, the FBI wants you to report it immediately. They tell us sometimes they are able to help get the money back to you, but not always. The sooner you report a scam, the better.
“That hundred-dollar loss to you may turn to hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in losses for someone else, so if we know about it, then we can connect it and open the case to go after the people doing this,” Harrington said.
To report a scam or learn more about scams and how artificial intelligence plays a part, visit: www.ic3.gov
Harrington tells us AI is constantly getting smarter, and being wary of anyone asking for money is the best way to stay safe.
