A joint analysis by Gallup and the Stop Scams Alliance, released Tuesday, reveals that artificial intelligence and deepfakes played a role in 12 percent of all successful scams in 2025. The report underscores the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud, which is becoming harder to detect even as it proliferates.
The study’s authors caution that the 12 percent figure likely underestimates the true scope, because AI and deepfake use can be difficult to identify. Older adults, who are historically more susceptible to scams, may be at even greater risk due to their lower familiarity with such technology.
Earlier this year, an AARP report warned that AI advancements have made scams more sophisticated, noting that nearly 90 percent of older adults expressed concern about AI-powered fraud schemes. The FBI also reported a surge in deepfake-related complaints: by September 2025, its Internet Crime Complaint Center had received more than double the number of deepfake video reports compared to the same period in 2024.
Scope of the Problem
The analysis estimates that 15.1 million Americans—or 6 percent of all U.S. adults—fell victim to scams in 2025, with total losses reaching an estimated $68 billion. Fraudulent websites were the most common vector, cited by 40 percent of victims, followed by advance payment scams and fake investment opportunities.
The findings come amid broader concerns about AI's role in crime. A separate report on AI-powered job scams noted that these schemes prey on ambition rather than fear, often fooling even experts.
Political and Policy Implications
The rise of AI-driven scams has drawn attention from lawmakers and regulators. The data arrives as the Supreme Court is set to rule on several high-profile cases, including those involving birthright citizenship and transgender athlete bans, which could shape privacy and digital rights debates. Meanwhile, the Biden administration's Iran deal presser and other events are competing for headlines, but the scam report highlights a growing bipartisan concern about consumer protection in the digital age.
Adding to the urgency, a recent Pew survey showed that U.S. support for Israel is crumbling across party lines, but domestic issues like fraud prevention remain a priority for voters.
Methodology
The Stop Scams Alliance-Gallup report is based on a Gallup survey of 5,173 U.S. adults conducted from Jan. 8 to Feb. 18. The margin of error is approximately 1.6 percentage points.
