Updated

Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 8

Bitdefender Deploys AI Defense Against Cyber Scams as AI-Enabled Fraud Surges 1,210%

Updated

Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 8

Bitdefender Deploys AI Defense Against Cyber Scams as AI-Enabled Fraud Surges 1,210%

Q: Your family calls for help, but it's an AI clone. How can you be certain before you send the money?

Do not send money until you verify the caller through a separate channel. With today’s AI voice cloning, a familiar voice is no longer proof of identity. The safest move is to hang up and call the person back on a number you already know is theirs, not the number that just called. If they do not answer, contact them through another route such as text, video call, another family member, or a close friend who can confirm where they are. A real emergency can survive a brief verification step; a scam usually cannot. A family code word or private question is one of the strongest defenses. Experts warn that scammers can clone a voice from only a few seconds of audio, but they cannot reliably answer a secret phrase or a detail that is not public. If the caller resists being checked, demands secrecy, or insists on immediate payment by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency, treat that as a major red flag. Technology can help, but it should not replace verification. On some Android phones, Google’s Phone app now offers fake-call detection using an encrypted device-to-device check. If both parties use it, the phone can warn you when a supposed family call is not actually coming from that person’s device. Security tools such as Bitdefender’s Scam Protection Pro and Scamio can also flag suspicious messages, links, and scam patterns. If money has already been sent, contact your bank immediately to try a recall and report the fraud to the FBI’s IC3 and the FTC.

3 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 8

Bitdefender said its Premium Security and Ultimate Security products now use AI-driven, real-time detection to stop phishing, deepfakes and fake websites before attacks escalate.
Behavioral analysis sits at the core of that defense, tracking unusual activity across downloads, browsing and system processes rather than relying on known malware signatures that miss fast-changing threats.
Scam Protection Pro scans emails, texts, chat apps and browser activity, while Scam Radar flags emerging scam waves and Scamio lets users submit suspicious messages or links for AI review.
The company is also pushing identity-first protection as attackers target credentials; its tools include password management, breach alerts, and in Ultimate Security, digital identity monitoring and footprint tracking.
The pitch comes as AI-driven fraud accelerates: Pindrop estimated a 1,210% jump in AI-enabled scams in 2025, while the FBI said phishing remained the most commonly reported cybercrime.