Cybercrime trends: Social engineering and AI fraud rise globally

Cybercriminals are employing increasingly sophisticated social engineering tactics across Latin America and Spain to defraud individuals. Common methods include impersonating family members in emergencies, such as fake accidents or broken phones, to demand immediate cash or jewelry. In other instances, scammers pose as technical support from companies like Microsoft to gain remote access to bank accounts, or use fake social media profiles to sell vehicles at discounted prices.

Technological advancements are also being exploited. Experts warn of the risks of oversharing personal data on social media, which allows criminals to use AI for voice cloning and deepfakes. Additionally, malicious PDF files and phishing attempts via email and WhatsApp remain prevalent. Security agencies recommend using the ‘LAP’ method (Locate, Author, Purpose) to verify calls, enabling two-step verification on messaging apps, and remaining skeptical of unexpected requests for sensitive information or money.