With internet usage so widespread, it's essential to ensure online safety. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their methods, including the misuse of AI. This guide aims to provide you with the knowledge to recognise and avoid common online scams such as phishing emails, deceptive ads, and untrustworthy websites.

Phishing Emails

Phishing emails are designed to look like they're from a legitimate company, but they're actually from scammers trying to trick you into giving them your personal information. Here's how to spot them:

• Check the Email Address: If the email address doesn't match the company's official email or looks suspicious, it's likely a scam.

• Spelling and Grammar Mistakes: Legitimate companies usually have professional editors to ensure their emails are error-free. If an email is full of mistakes, be wary.

• Urgent Action Requests: Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency, like "Your account will be closed if you don't respond immediately." Legitimate companies usually don't pressure you like this.

Deceptive Ads

Online advertisements can sometimes be misleading. Here’s how to recognise potentially deceptive ones:

• Unbelievable Offers: If an advertisement promises something that seems too good to be true, like an expensive gadget at a very low price, it’s likely not genuine.

• Urgency Tactics: Watch out for advertisements that urge you to act immediately, such as "Limited time offer!"

• Verify the URL: Move your cursor over the advertisement to preview the URL. If it doesn’t look like the official site of the advertised product or service, think twice before clicking.

Suspicious Websites

The internet is full of various websites, and not all are trustworthy. Here’s how to identify less reliable ones:

• Secure Connection: Trustworthy websites often have a secure connection, shown by ‘https’ in the URL. If a website starts with ‘http,’ it might not be secure.

• Contact Information: Reliable websites typically provide clear ways to contact the business. A lack of contact information is a warning sign.

• Website Quality: Genuine businesses usually have well-designed websites. If you encounter a site with poor design or numerous errors, proceed with caution.

Scamming with AI

Thankfully, there are signs you can look for to spot AI-powered scams:

Text and Audio

• Unnatural language: Pay attention to unnatural phrasing, repetitive sentences, or awkward grammar. These are common signs of AI-generated text.

• Lack of emotion: AI voices may sound realistic, but they often lack subtle emotional nuances present in human speech. Be wary of voices that sound flat or monotone.

• Inconsistent information: Listen for contradictions or information that doesn't quite make sense, especially if the same AI voice appears in multiple places.

Images and Videos

• Unrealistic details: Look for inconsistencies in images, like blurry backgrounds, strange shadows, or unnatural skin textures. Deepfakes, which manipulate real videos, might flicker or have inconsistent lighting.

• Lip-syncing issues: Watch for mismatched lip movements or delays between the audio and visuals. This can be a sign of a manipulated video.

• Reverse image search: If you're unsure about an image or video, use a reverse image search to see if it appears elsewhere online.

General Tips

• Urgency: Scammers often use urgency to create pressure and cloud your judgement. Don't rush into decisions based on urgent messages or threats.

• Verify Identities: Don't trust unknown senders, always be cautious with messages claiming to be from official sources. Verify contact information independently.

• Unrealistic Offers: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be sceptical of unrealistic investment opportunities or prizes.

• Suspicious Links: Never click on links or open attachments from unknown senders.

• Strong Passwords with 2FA: Protect your accounts with strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible.

Being hacked can have serious consequences. For instance, scammers can steal your identity, empty your bank accounts, or even take over your social media accounts and send misleading messages to your friends and family. Remember, even humans can be fooled by sophisticated AI scams. Stay vigilant, think critically, and don't hesitate to research before engaging with anything suspicious. 

Remember, when it comes to online safety, it's better to be safe than sorry. If something feels off, trust your gut and always keep your antivirus software and apps updated to add an extra layer of protection. 

Staying safe online in the age of scams: Watch out for phishing emails, dodgy ads, and sketchy websites. Protect yourself with easy rules and some common sense.