Summary
Experts say email scams are becoming more convincing and harder to spot, often using fake invoices and urgent messages. Despite fewer reported phishing victims in recent years, cybercriminals are using advanced techniques, like artificial intelligence, to trick people. The most effective scams involve stealing login details or impersonating company executives.
Key Facts
- Phishing scams often use fake invoices, urgent messages, or follow-up emails.
- In 2021, about 324,000 people in the U.S. reported phishing attacks, dropping to about 193,000 by 2024.
- Many scams rely on creating urgency, such as using subject lines like “action required.”
- Some scams use fake calendar invites to trick remote workers.
- Generative AI helps scammers write emails that look like real corporate communication.
- Credential harvesting and business email compromise (BEC) are highly damaging phishing methods.
- Scams use trusted brands like Microsoft and Google to steal login information.
- Newer scams include phishing via QR codes and voice phishing using AI-generated voices.
