How to Protect Your Wealth from AI Scams Targeting Your Accounts and Investments

September 2, 2025

Artificial intelligence has changed the way people work, communicate, and invest. But the same technology that powers convenience in your daily life has become a powerful weapon for criminals. AI scams are spreading fast across the United States, and they are no longer the clumsy fraud attempts you may be used to spotting. They are precise, convincing, and designed to separate you from your money in seconds.

For investors, retirees, and families with savings, the threat is especially concerning. Scammers are using AI to mimic trusted voices, create fake investment pitches, and build fraudulent online advisors that look legitimate.

If you are not aware of how these scams work, your accounts and portfolios could be at risk.

In this article, you will learn:

• The types of AI scams designed to target your money and investments
  
  
• How to recognize the warning signs before you lose funds
  
  
• Steps you can take to secure your accounts and retirement assets
  
  
• Why working with a financial advisor can add an extra layer of protection
  
  
• What to do if you suspect you have been targeted by an AI scam

Nearly 9 in 10 Americans Worry About AI Scams

Research shows how deeply concerned Americans are about the rise of AI in online fraud. According to a nationwide survey of 1,200 adults, 87% of Americans say they are worried about scammers using AI to make fraud more convincing. That’s nearly nine out of ten people expressing concern that their finances or personal data could be at risk.

The study also revealed:

• 55% of Americans feel more worried about scams now compared to last year.
  
  
• Women are 25% more likely than men to say they are “very concerned” about AI scams.

• Southerners report the sharpest rise in anxiety, with almost 80% more reporting increased worry than those in the Midwest.
  
  
• Holiday season scams are a major trigger, with 86% of Americans saying their concern about fraud spikes at the end of the year.

These numbers paint a clear picture: people are paying attention, and they’re uneasy about how fast scammers are adopting AI.

Research source: Upwind as of December 2024

What This Means for American Investors

For individuals managing accounts, retirement funds, or investment portfolios, the statistics are more than just numbers—they highlight a growing risk. If nearly nine in ten Americans are worried, that includes your banker, your advisor, and your peers. Scammers know this concern exists, and they exploit it by creating schemes that prey on urgency, fear, or false confidence.

For investors, this means:

• Portfolio exposure is a target. Fraudulent pitches for funds, private placements, or alternative investments are becoming harder to distinguish from the real thing.
  
  
• Retirement accounts are vulnerable. Scammers can impersonate custodians or financial professionals to trick investors into authorizing withdrawals.
  
  
• Trust can be weaponized. Whether it’s a voice that sounds like a spouse or a video that looks like a fund manager, AI scams aim to bypass rational decision-making.

In short, the same concerns reflected in the survey should serve as a warning to investors: protecting wealth is no longer just about market volatility or tax strategy. It’s also about being prepared for a new generation of scams powered by AI.

Read: How to Protect Your Retirement Assets from Scams and Fraud

What Makes AI Scams Different from Traditional Fraud

If you think back to how scams used to work, they were often clumsy. An email with poor grammar. A caller with a shaky story. A pushy salesperson trying to rush you into a decision. These older schemes were easier to spot. AI scams are different. They are built to imitate people and institutions you already trust, and they often do it with alarming precision.

Here’s where the shift becomes dangerous for your accounts and investments:

• Voice cloning fraud protection is now essential. Scammers can take a short audio clip from social media or a voicemail and use AI to clone a family member’s voice. That cloned voice might call you late at night claiming there is an emergency and asking you to wire funds immediately. If you manage significant wealth, a request like this can be costly if you act before verifying.
  
  
• Deepfake scams targeting investors are harder to ignore. You might see a video that looks like a respected financial leader or even a CEO promoting an investment opportunity. The video may look polished, but it could be entirely fake. For someone protecting investment accounts from scams, that kind of pitch is exactly what criminals count on.
  
  
• AI-powered phishing is no longer generic. Instead of poorly written emails, you now face messages that look like they came directly from your bank, brokerage firm, or retirement custodian. These emails may include your name, partial account details, and even references to recent transactions. They’re convincing enough to make you hesitate, which is exactly how scammers get you to click.
  
  
• Fake financial advisors are harder to filter out. Fraudsters now use AI chatbots that act like seasoned professionals. They can answer questions, provide charts, and even mimic the tone of legitimate advisors. If you are evaluating AI investment scams or considering new opportunities, that chatbot could try to persuade you to move money into fraudulent accounts.

This is why AI financial scams feel different. They don’t look like obvious threats. They play on the trust you have in familiar voices, recognizable institutions, and professional presentations. They insert urgency and fear into the conversation to get you to bypass your normal checks.

For investors and retirees, this means that protecting your wealth from AI scams requires a sharper filter. You can no longer rely on poor spelling or mismatched email addresses to spot fraud. You have to assume that the scam could sound like your spouse, look like your advisor, or arrive in the form of a seemingly legitimate financial report.

The Main Types of AI Scams Threatening Your Accounts and Portfolios

AI scams are not one-size-fits-all. Criminals design different tactics depending on whether they want quick access to your bank account, long-term control over your retirement funds, or a fraudulent investment commitment. Each method uses AI in a different way, but the goal is the same: to separate you from your money before you have time to verify what’s real.

Voice Cloning Scams

Scammers are now using AI to copy a person’s voice with startling accuracy, and the process is easier than you may think. A short audio sample is often all it takes. That sample could come from a voicemail greeting, a short video clip on social media, or even a recorded webinar. Once criminals capture just a few seconds of speech, they can feed it into an AI voice generator to build a model that speaks in the same tone, rhythm, and accent as the real person.

Here’s how the scam typically unfolds:

1. Collecting the sample. Criminals scrape audio from social platforms, corporate websites, or even intercepted calls. If you’ve spoken publicly online, there is a chance your voice is already available for cloning.
   
   
2. Training the model. They upload that recording into an AI program that replicates the pitch, pacing, and phrasing of your voice. This can take minutes, not days.
   
   
3. Building the script. The scammer writes out a message, often asking for money or account access. The AI system then reads the script using the cloned voice.
   
   
4. Making the call. You receive a call that sounds like your spouse, child, or financial advisor. The message usually claims there is an emergency or an urgent investment opportunity. Because it sounds authentic, you are more likely to comply without verifying.

The financial risk is clear. If you manage brokerage accounts, retirement assets, or even just a household bank account, the call could direct you to wire funds, approve a transfer, or share account numbers. That request feels personal and urgent, which is exactly why it works.

Red flags to watch for:

• Requests for large transfers that bypass normal approval steps.
  
  
• Calls that come at unusual hours, often late in the evening or early in the morning.
  
  
• Messages that discourage you from verifying the request with a second call or email.

For investors, retirees, and families managing accounts, the safest step is to never move money based solely on a voice request. Even if the caller sounds exactly like someone you trust, treat it as unverified until you confirm through another secure channel. This single habit can go a long way in protecting your wealth from AI scams.

Deepfake Video Scams

Deepfake scams are becoming one of the most convincing forms of AI financial scams because they combine visual and audio manipulation. Criminals no longer rely on a simple phone call or poorly edited video. They use AI tools that can build a moving, talking image of a financial figure or advisor, making it appear as if that person is speaking directly to you.

Here’s how the process typically works:

1. Collecting source footage. Scammers take video clips from interviews, social media, or corporate presentations of a financial leader, company executive, or even an advisor. Publicly available videos provide hours of reference material.
   
   
2. Training the AI model. The video is run through AI software that learns the person’s facial expressions, head movements, and voice patterns. This allows the program to generate new content where the person seems to be speaking words they never said.
   
   
3. Creating the message. The scammer writes a script that promotes an “exclusive” investment or directs you to wire money into a new account. The AI system maps this script onto the fake video, making the person appear to deliver the message themselves.
   
   
4. Distribution. The deepfake video is sent by email, social media, or even text message. Some are posted on fake websites that look like legitimate financial news outlets.

For you as an investor, the danger is clear. If the video looks like a CEO announcing a new fund, or a respected advisor presenting an opportunity, you might feel pressure to act quickly. That’s the design. The scam relies on your trust in recognizable figures to override your normal process of checking sources.

Red flags to watch for:

• Videos that discourage you from verifying details with your advisor or custodian.
  
  
• Investment pitches that promise guaranteed returns or pressure you to act before a deadline.
  
  
• Lip movements that do not sync perfectly with the voice, or body language that looks unnatural.

For anyone protecting investment accounts from scams, the advisable approach is to verify every video through an independent channel. If a financial figure seems to be promoting an opportunity, confirm it with your advisor, check official company releases, and validate the investment through FINRA or the SEC. By treating every unsolicited video as unverified until proven otherwise, you help protect your wealth from AI scams designed to manipulate your trust.

AI-Powered Phishing Emails and Texts

Phishing is not new, but AI has turned it into a much sharper tool. In the past, you could often spot fake emails because they were full of spelling errors or used generic greetings like “Dear Customer.” Now, scammers use AI to craft emails and texts that look like they were written by your bank, brokerage firm, or retirement account custodian.

Here’s how these scams typically work:

1. Gathering personal details. Criminals pull information from social media, past data breaches, or even public filings. They might know your full name, the institution you use, or the type of account you manage.
   
   
2. Generating the message. AI writing tools produce polished text that matches the tone of financial institutions. The email may reference recent market events, a portfolio review, or even mimic the style of your advisor’s past communications.
   
   
3. Embedding malicious links. The email includes a link that takes you to a fake login page. The page is designed to look identical to your bank or brokerage portal. When you enter your credentials, the scammers capture them instantly.
   
   
4. Targeting by text. Some criminals send AI-generated text messages claiming your account is frozen or your password must be reset. The text usually includes a link or QR code that directs you to the same kind of fraudulent site.

For you, the risk is clear: once criminals capture your login credentials, they can attempt to move funds, access sensitive tax information, or alter account settings tied to your investments and retirement savings.

Red flags to watch for:

• Emails or texts that ask you to click a link instead of logging in through the official website or app.
  
  
• Requests that create urgency, such as “reset immediately” or “your account will be suspended.”
  
  
• Messages that go directly to you but avoid including your advisor or trusted contacts in the conversation.

When it comes to protecting your wealth from AI scams, the recommended move is to never click a link in an unsolicited message. Type the bank or brokerage address yourself into a browser or use the institution’s verified app. If you’re unsure, call your advisor or the financial institution directly using a known number before entering any information.

Fake Financial Advisors and Chatbots

AI has made it possible for scammers to create fake financial advisors that look convincing enough to fool even cautious investors. These schemes often start with a chatbot that poses as a licensed professional, offering advice or portfolio reviews through email, social platforms, or even pop-up websites that look legitimate.

Here’s the step-by-step process criminals use:

1. Building the profile. Scammers set up a fake advisor identity on LinkedIn, Facebook, or even through targeted ads. The profile usually includes a professional headshot generated by AI, fabricated credentials, and endorsements copied from real advisors.
   
   
2. Deploying the chatbot. Once you connect or click, an AI-driven chatbot begins the interaction. It can answer questions about market trends, retirement planning, or investment products with language that feels credible. Because AI can pull phrases from real financial reports, the responses often sound polished.
   
   
3. Sharing fabricated material. To build trust, the fake advisor sends charts, whitepapers, or testimonials. These materials are AI-generated, designed to mimic the formatting and tone of real institutions. Some even copy logos or disclaimers to make them look official.
   
   
4. The pitch. After gaining trust, the chatbot or fake advisor recommends an “opportunity.” This might be a private investment, offshore fund, or a crypto product that requires you to wire money or provide account details.
   
   
5. Extraction. Once you act, funds are moved quickly, often to unregulated accounts outside the United States, where recovery is nearly impossible.

The risk is that these fake advisors can bypass the normal red flags. They don’t sound robotic. They don’t send sloppy documents. They simulate the exact kind of professional communication you’re used to seeing. That’s why verifying credentials before engaging is critical.

Red flags to watch for:

• Advisors or firms contacting you first instead of you initiating the relationship.
  
  
• Pitches for unregulated or offshore investments that can’t be verified through FINRA or the SEC.
  
  
• Requests for account login details or transfer instructions outside of normal custodial processes.

If you want to protect your wealth from AI scams of this kind, rely only on financial professionals you’ve vetted through trusted channels. Confirm registrations with FINRA’s BrokerCheck or the SEC database and never share account access information through email or chat.

AI-Enhanced Investment Scams

Investment scams have always existed, but AI has given criminals new tools to make them look convincing. Instead of rough flyers or generic emails, you now face polished reports, market analysis, and even fund documents that appear professional. These scams are particularly dangerous for investors because they target the decision-making process you use when evaluating new opportunities.

Here’s how the methodology works:

1. Generating fraudulent research. Scammers use AI to create investment reports that look like they were published by real firms. The documents can include technical charts, growth projections, and even citations that look legitimate. These are designed to influence your confidence in the opportunity.
   
   
2. Counterfeit fund documents. Fraudsters often create fake prospectuses or offering memoranda. AI can replicate the formatting of real financial disclosures, complete with legal language and tables of returns. To an untrained eye, these documents look authentic.
   
   
3. Scripted presentations. Some scammers go further, using AI to create slide decks or scripted webinars that mirror what legitimate fund managers might provide. These presentations are often paired with fake advisor outreach.
   
   
4. The offer. The pitch usually involves a private placement, crypto project, or alternative investment that promises steady growth or guaranteed returns. You are urged to act quickly because the “opportunity” is supposedly limited to a select group of investors.
   
   
5. Exit with your funds. Once money is wired, the fraudsters disappear. Because many of these scams involve accounts overseas or digital wallets, tracing the funds is extremely difficult.

For you as an investor, this kind of AI financial scam is dangerous because it bypasses surface-level checks. A professional-looking report or presentation can make even seasoned individuals pause before questioning its authenticity. That hesitation is exactly what scammers are counting on.

Red flags to watch for:

• Investment opportunities that promise guaranteed returns or risk-free growth.
  
  
• Limited-time offers that pressure you to transfer funds before completing due diligence.
  
  
• Opportunities that cannot be verified through FINRA’s BrokerCheck, the SEC’s database, or your trusted financial advisor.

Protecting investment accounts from scams like this requires discipline. Before you commit money to any fund or private placement, confirm the registration of both the product and the person offering it. If an opportunity is real, it will hold up under scrutiny. If it cannot be validated through proper channels, treat it as a direct threat to your wealth.

How to Spot AI Scams Before They Drain Your Accounts

The fastest way to protect your wealth from AI scams is to recognize the warning signs before you act. Scammers succeed when they push you into moving money without slowing down to verify. Building a checklist you use every time an unexpected request arrives will help you stay ahead of these tactics.

Here’s what to look for:

1. Unsolicited communication. If you receive an email, text, or call that you did not request, treat it with caution. AI-powered phishing often starts this way, with messages that appear to come from your bank or brokerage. If you didn’t initiate the contact, stop and verify.
   
   
2. Pressure to act quickly. Scammers rely on urgency. A voice cloning scam may sound like a family member in distress, or a deepfake video may push an “exclusive” investment opportunity. Anytime you’re asked to move money under time pressure, that’s a signal to pause.
   
   
3. New account numbers or QR codes. Requests that introduce new wiring instructions, fresh account numbers, or QR codes should be considered unverified until confirmed. Fraudsters use these details to redirect funds away from legitimate custodians and into accounts they control.
   
   
4. Avoidance of standard verification. If the person contacting you discourages you from calling back through your advisor, your bank, or another trusted channel, you’re likely looking at an AI financial scam. Any legitimate institution will welcome verification.
   
   
5. Emotional manipulation. Scammers know that fear, urgency, or even greed can cause you to skip checks. Whether it’s a voice cloning scam pretending to be your child in trouble or an AI investment scam promising steady growth, emotional triggers are a hallmark of fraud.
   
   
6. Mismatch between message and normal practice. If your advisor usually calls you but suddenly sends a text with wiring details, or your bank typically communicates by secure message but an email arrives asking you to click a link, that inconsistency is a warning sign.
   
   
7. Overly polished documents or videos. AI can generate convincing reports, prospectuses, and even deepfake videos. If the materials feel too perfect or scripted, confirm them against official filings or company releases before trusting them.

This checklist will help you create a barrier between yourself and the scammer’s urgency. If even one of these red flags appears, stop. Contact your advisor or your institution using a verified number, and confirm the request before taking another step. That simple pause could be what protects your accounts and investments from being drained.

Steps to Protect Your Accounts and Investments from AI Scams

Spotting red flags is only part of the process. Protecting your wealth from AI scams also means putting practical systems in place so your accounts, retirement funds, and portfolios are harder to access. These are not abstract tips. They’re specific actions you can take right now to reduce the risk of scammers slipping past your defenses. Think of them as layers of protection. The stronger each layer is, the less likely an AI financial scam will reach your money.

Strengthen Account Security

The first step in protecting your wealth from AI scams is making sure your accounts are secure. Scammers thrive on weak access points, and with AI-powered phishing and impersonation on the rise, you need stronger layers of defense.

Here’s how to build real protection:

1. Use multi-factor authentication that can’t be intercepted. Relying on text message codes is risky because criminals can use SIM-swapping tactics to steal those codes. Instead, set up an authenticator app like Authy or Google Authenticator, or use a physical key that connects to your device. This creates an extra barrier even if your password is stolen.
   
   
2. Create passwords that can’t be guessed. Short or repeated passwords leave your accounts exposed. Use long combinations that mix letters, numbers, and symbols, and make sure every financial account has its own password. If one account is compromised, you don’t want others to fall with it.
   
   
3. Use a separate device for banking. Many investors use the same phone or laptop for everything—email, shopping, social media, and finance. That’s an open door for malware. By keeping a dedicated device for banking and investments, you cut off exposure from day-to-day browsing or risky downloads.
   
   
4. Set alerts for every account. Most banks and brokerage firms allow you to receive real-time notifications for transactions. Turn these on. If someone tries to move money, you’ll know immediately and can act before funds leave the institution.
   
   
5. Check account access logs. Many custodians let you review where and when your account was accessed. If you see login attempts from unusual locations or times, treat it as a warning sign and reset your credentials right away.
   
   

When you think about protecting investment accounts from scams, account security is your foundation. Without it, all other defenses are weakened. By combining strong authentication, unique passwords, and a dedicated banking device, you significantly lower the chance that an AI-powered scam will gain direct access to your wealth.

Verify Every Communication

One of the strongest defenses against AI scams is refusing to trust any request at face value. Criminals rely on the fact that you feel urgency when someone who sounds like a spouse, advisor, or banker contacts you. That’s why verification is critical.

Here’s how you can put this into practice:

1. Confirm every wire request with a call you initiate. If you receive instructions by email or text, stop. Call your advisor or your bank directly using a verified number, not the one in the message. Ask them to confirm the request. If it’s real, they will have a record of it.
   
   
2. Do not trust caller ID. Scammers can spoof phone numbers so that it looks like your advisor, custodian, or even your local branch is calling. If something feels off, hang up and call back using a number you already know. This step alone can stop voice cloning scams and AI impersonation scams from reaching your accounts.
   
   
3. Avoid links in emails and texts. Phishing emails are now powered by AI, which means they look polished and credible. Instead of clicking a link, open your bank or brokerage website manually by typing it into the browser or use the official app. That way, you know you’re logging in on the real site.
   
   
4. Ask for dual verification protocols. Work with your advisor to establish extra steps for large transfers. For example, you can require both a phone call and a secure email confirmation before money moves. If the process is not followed, the transfer should not proceed.
   
   
5. Keep records of past communication patterns. If your advisor normally uses secure portals and you suddenly get an urgent text message with new wiring instructions, that mismatch is a warning sign. Treat anything that falls outside the usual process as suspect until verified.

For investors, retirees, and families managing significant accounts, this habit is essential. By verifying every communication, you place time and scrutiny between the scammer and your money. That pause is often enough to prevent a fraudulent transfer from leaving your account.

Protect Your Retirement Accounts

Retirement accounts are a prime target for AI financial scams. These accounts often hold decades of savings, and criminals know they can exploit both the size of the balances and the trust people place in custodians. Protecting investment accounts from scams means treating your 401(k), IRA, or rollover accounts as high-risk assets that require constant monitoring.

Here’s how you can safeguard them:

1. Set fraud alerts with your custodian. Most retirement providers allow you to receive notifications when money moves in or out of your account. If a scammer tries to initiate a withdrawal, you’ll know right away. Real-time alerts give you a chance to stop the fraud before funds leave your account.
   
   
2. Review transactions every week. Monthly statements are too slow. By the time you notice an unauthorized transfer on a monthly report, it may be too late to recover the money. Log in weekly, even if nothing looks unusual. The simple act of checking keeps you one step ahead of scammers.
   
   
3. Control what you share online. Criminals use personal details to create believable scams. Posting about retirement milestones, pension rollovers, or account balances can give them exactly what they need to craft AI-powered phishing messages that look tailored to you. Keep this information private to reduce the risk.
   
   
4. Add withdrawal restrictions. Some custodians allow you to set rules around large transfers. For example, you can require in-person approval or multiple layers of confirmation before funds leave your IRA. These restrictions slow down fraudulent requests and buy you time to intervene.
   
   
5. Confirm beneficiary changes directly. Retirement accounts are attractive not just for the balances but for the long-term access they represent. If you receive communication about a change to your beneficiaries, call your provider directly. Scammers sometimes attempt to alter account ownership details as a backdoor way to access funds.

Retirement accounts are one of the most important parts of your wealth. AI scams are designed to exploit trust, and retirement providers are not immune. Building habits around alerts, frequent reviews, and verification reduces the chance of losing the savings that will carry you through retirement.

Safeguard Your Investment Portfolio

Your portfolio is a natural target for AI financial scams because it often involves multiple accounts, custodians, and transactions. The more moving parts you manage, the more opportunities exist for criminals to exploit gaps in verification. Protecting investment accounts from scams means putting friction in place so unauthorized transactions can’t move freely.

Here are steps that strengthen those defenses:

1. Place transfer limits on your accounts. Many custodians allow you to cap the size of transfers. For example, you can set a daily limit that prevents large amounts from leaving in a single transaction. Even if scammers gain temporary access, the damage is contained, and you gain valuable time to respond.
   
   
2. Spread your holdings across different custodians. Concentrating every account with one provider creates a single point of failure. By splitting assets across multiple institutions, you make it harder for scammers to compromise everything at once. Even if one custodian is targeted, your entire portfolio isn’t exposed.
   
   
3. Work with your advisor on verification protocols. Ask your advisor to require extra steps before approving transfers. That could mean two-person authorization, a secure portal confirmation, or a call-back protocol for any transaction above a certain threshold. Scammers thrive on speed, but verification slows them down.
   
   
4. Use account monitoring tools. Some custodians provide dashboards where you can view all recent account activity. Make it a habit to review these reports so you spot suspicious transfers early. The sooner you notice irregular movement, the easier it is to contain the damage.

Your portfolio isn’t just a collection of accounts—it represents years of accumulation. AI investment scams aim to exploit your trust and push you into rushed decisions. By limiting transfers, spreading risk, and insisting on verification every time funds move, you create real barriers that stop fraudulent activity before it drains your wealth.

Control Your Personal Information

AI financial scams often begin with data collection. Criminals don’t start with a blind guess; they build a profile around you using details that are easy to find online. Once they have enough information, they can craft phishing emails, voice cloning scams, or fake advisor pitches that feel tailored to your life. The more information you share, the easier it becomes for them to design a convincing attack.

Here’s how to protect yourself:

1. Limit what you post about travel, wealth, or family. Announcing vacations gives criminals a window to target you with urgency scams, such as fake calls pretending to be a child in trouble. Sharing investment milestones or balances can also alert scammers that you are managing significant accounts. Even casual mentions about retirement planning can be used to design AI investment scams that look personalized.
   
   
2. Reduce your exposure on data broker lists. Companies collect and sell personal data that includes your name, address, income level, and even financial interests. Scammers buy this information to sharpen their targeting. Opting out of these lists takes time, but the fewer records available, the harder it is for criminals to piece together a complete profile.
   
   
3. Use a credit freeze when appropriate. A freeze blocks new credit accounts from being opened in your name. This step won’t stop phishing attempts or investment scams, but it will prevent criminals from opening fraudulent credit lines tied to your identity. It’s an extra layer that helps ensure your credit profile cannot be exploited while you focus on protecting your wealth from AI scams.
   
   
4. Monitor what others share about you. Sometimes the risk comes from family or friends posting details without realizing it. A tagged photo, a location check-in, or a congratulatory post about retirement can all become sources for scammers. Regularly review what’s public and ask close contacts to limit what they share.

AI scams thrive on personalization. By controlling the information available about you, you deny criminals the raw material they need to create convincing emails, texts, or phone calls. Every piece of data withheld makes it harder for them to build a scam that looks authentic.

The Role of Financial Advisors in Protecting Your Wealth

AI financial scams work because they push you to act without verification. This is where your financial advisor becomes critical. An advisor is not just someone who helps manage your portfolio—they serve as a checkpoint between you and a fraudulent request.

Here’s how an advisor helps protect your accounts and investments from scams:

1. Confirming legitimacy. If you receive an email with wiring instructions or a call that sounds like your advisor, your first step should be to reach out directly through a verified number. A real advisor can quickly confirm whether a request is authentic or if it’s an AI impersonation scam designed to trick you.
   
   
2. Setting up safeguards with custodians. Advisors often work directly with custodians to create layers of protection around your accounts. That can include transfer limits, dual approval processes, or requirements for verbal confirmation before large transactions are processed. These safeguards make it harder for scammers to move money without detection.
   
   
3. Building fraud prevention into your wealth plan. Protecting investment accounts from scams is no longer separate from portfolio management. Advisors can incorporate measures such as monitoring protocols, communication preferences, and withdrawal restrictions into your broader wealth strategy. This means your protection plan grows alongside your financial goals.
   
   
4. Acting as your first line of defense. If you feel uncertain about a request, your advisor should be the first person you call before moving money. They can step in to validate details, stop suspicious transfers, and guide you on whether an opportunity is legitimate or fabricated.

Financial advisors are valuable because they create a second set of eyes. You might receive a call that sounds urgent, but by running it through your advisor first, you slow down the process and give yourself time to verify. That single pause could be what prevents an AI-powered scam from draining your accounts.

What to Do If You Suspect You’ve Been Targeted

• Stop communicating with the suspected scammer.
  
  
• Call your bank immediately to freeze or reverse transfers.
  
  
• Notify your advisor of the attempt.
  
  
• Report the incident to the FTC, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), or FINRA.
  
  
• Keep documentation in case of repeated attempts.

Quick Reference Checklist

5 questions to ask before acting:

• Do I know the sender?
  
  
• Is this the usual channel they use to reach me?
  
  
• Is there urgency or secrecy involved?
  
  
• Am I being pressured to skip verification?
  
  
• Does the request involve moving money quickly?
  
  

3 steps to verify identity:

1. Hang up and call back on a verified number.
   
   
2. Cross-check details with your advisor.
   
   
3. Refuse to act until you confirm the source.

Final Thoughts

AI scams are not science fiction—they are already here, and they are targeting people with real money at stake. The goal of these scams is simple: to trick you into bypassing safeguards and moving funds where they can’t be recovered. By learning how to spot the warning signs, securing your accounts, and working closely with a financial advisor, you can protect your wealth against these fast-moving threats.

When in doubt, pause and verify. And remember: talking to your financial advisor before acting on any request involving your money is one of the most effective defenses you have.