Stay Safe
Use AI with curiosity and good judgment
AI can be helpful, but it can make mistakes. Scammers can also use convincing messages, familiar voices, and pressure. These habits help you protect your information and slow the situation down.
Four warning signs
Pause when a message uses pressure
One warning sign does not prove something is a scam, but it is a good reason to stop and verify.
Urgency
You are told to act immediately or something terrible will happen.
Unusual payment
You are told to use gift cards, cryptocurrency, a wire transfer, or a payment app.
Secrecy
You are told not to speak with family, a bank, or another person you trust.
Private information
You are asked for a password, verification code, account number, or Social Security number.
A safer response
Stop, leave, and check another way
- Stop the conversation. You do not need to explain or argue. Hang up, close the message, or leave the website.
- Do not use the contact information they supplied. Use the number on the back of your card, an official statement, or a website you already know.
- Speak with someone you trust. Pressure often feels less convincing once you say the story out loud.
- Take action quickly if money or information was shared. Contact the bank, card issuer, payment service, or affected account directly.
Your information
Keep sensitive details out of AI chats
Do not paste passwords, verification codes, complete financial account numbers, Social Security numbers, medical records, or copies of identity documents into a general AI assistant.
For personal tasks, remove names and identifying details whenever the task can be completed without them.
Before you share, ask
Would I be comfortable putting this information into an ordinary email? Does the AI really need this detail to help me? Can I replace the real information with a general description?
Using AI as a second opinion
Ask for warning signs, not a guarantee
You can remove private information from a suspicious message and ask an AI assistant questions such as:
Example prompt
“I received this message. Identify any pressure tactics, unusual payment requests, or details I should verify. Do not tell me it is safe. Give me a checklist for confirming it through an independent source.”
AI can overlook a problem or confidently give the wrong answer. Confirm important decisions with the person, company, bank, or agency using contact information you found independently.
If something already happened
Act quickly and do not be embarrassed
Scams are designed to be convincing. Contact the company used to send the money, your bank, or the affected account provider immediately. Change exposed passwords and turn on two-factor authentication where available.
For a step-by-step recovery guide, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer advice. You can report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.