Experts have warned that a new wave of highly convincing scam texts is putting millions of Britons at risk of losing their life savings. The alert follows an incident in which an elderly man was tricked into handing over cash weeks before his death, with the fraud only discovered when family reviewed his finances. Online fraud cost victims hundreds of billions globally last year, and over half of UK adults report being targeted in the past 12 months.
Traditional red flags such as spelling errors and awkward phrasing are disappearing as cybercriminals use AI to craft polished messages that mimic trusted institutions like banks, delivery firms and HMRC. Instead, specialists urge consumers to focus on three critical warning signs: urgency, unsolicited links or phone numbers, and fear tactics.
Urgency messages claim accounts will be closed, payments declined or packages returned unless immediate action is taken. These aim to spark panic and bypass rational thought. Unsolicited links or numbers often impersonate banks, Royal Mail, Evri or DPD, prompting clicks or calls. Fear-based texts allege suspicious activity, missed payments or security issues requiring instant resolution.
Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN, said: 'Scam texts might have been obvious once upon a time, but that's not the case anymore. What usually gives them away is not bad spelling or strange formatting. It's the pressure. The message wants you to do something quickly, before you've had time to stop and think.' He advises never clicking links or dialling numbers in unexpected texts; instead verify directly via official websites or apps.
NordVPN has launched a free scam checker tool that lets users submit suspicious messages or screenshots. The system cross-references links, phone numbers and email addresses against databases of known fraud. Debbie Porter, managing director at Destination Digital Marketing, revealed her father-in-law was scammed weeks before his death: 'The bank took no responsibility because he had consented to the payment. Almost all urgent pay-now messages should be treated with high vigilance.'
Experts also fear AI will worsen the problem. Dil Gujral, chief AI trainer at AI Now Academy, warned: 'If you think scam texts are bad, wait till they start using AI to impersonate family members for extortion.' Rohit Parmar-Mistry of Pattrn Data noted that modern scams closely mimic routine service notifications, making them harder to spot.
