How can I tell if a scary phone call is an AI scam?

Caller ID and even a video-office backdrop can be faked; end the call, use a family code phrase, and verify through a contact route you find yourself.

Nationwide’s 2026 Cybersecurity survey found that 84% of consumers worry about AI identity theft, but only 19% feel confident spotting an AI-powered scam; 39% have even ignored a real delivery notice because they feared fraud. The risk is practical, not theoretical: the FBI’s Newark office warned that callers are spoofing FBI numbers and staging fake office video backgrounds, while a current PayPal “Resolution Center” scheme uses a spoofed sender to push victims toward a false support line. A familiar voice, official-looking caller ID, or polished backdrop proves nothing because each can be copied or forged.

Set a family code phrase, hang up instead of debating the caller, never use a callback number from the suspicious message, and contact the person or company through an official app, saved number, or address you find yourself.