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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]
2 clusters · 3 sources · 23 days · First seen · Last updated
AI-driven cybercrime and fraud escalation
Overview
Cybersecurity reports from 2026 indicate a significant rise in fraud and malware attacks leveraging artificial intelligence.
Initial data from Kaspersky highlighted a nearly five-fold increase in malware attacks targeting small and medium-sized businesses globally between January and April 2026. These attacks frequently used malicious software masquerading as popular AI services such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Claude. In India, incidents rose more than six times, while the Philippines reported a four-fold increase.
Subsequent analysis from Trend Micro noted an evolution in social engineering tactics, including a 2.5-fold increase in technical support fraud. Attackers are increasingly utilizing generative AI to construct fraudulent websites and employing deepfake technology to simulate “face-to-face interrogations” during fake police scams. Additionally, organized criminal groups are using AI-driven methods to facilitate social media-based investment fraud and impersonate law enforcement agencies.
Entities
San Francisco Police Department · Kaspersky · DeepSeek · Ministry of Public Security · ChatGPT
Timeline
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26 days ago
[TECHNOLOGY] 3 sourcesTrend Micro reports surge in technical support and AI-driven fraudTrend Micro reports a 2.5x surge in technical support fraud, noting new tactics like deepfake video calls and AI-driven scams impersonating police and government agencies.
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about 2 months ago
[TECHNOLOGY] 2 sourcesKaspersky reports AI-themed malware surge hitting SMBs in India, SE AsiaKaspersky reports a five‑fold rise in AI‑themed malware attacks on SMBs worldwide in early 2026, with India’s incidents up six‑fold and the Philippines’ up four‑fold, while fake‑app attacks stay high but stable
Sources
internet.watch.impress.co.jp · japan.zdnet.com · news.mynavi.jp