Why this matters
Fraud is evolving fast. Cheap, easy-to-use AI tools now let scammers clone voices, fake video calls, and write flawless messages in any language — things that used to require real skill. The old advice ("look for bad spelling") is no longer enough.
This article covers the newer techniques you're most likely to encounter. It's updated regularly as new threats appear, so it's worth checking back. The reassuring part: even the most advanced scams still rely on the same goal — getting you to send money, share a code, or grant access. The defences at the end still work.
AI voice cloning
Scammers can now copy a person's voice from just a few seconds of audio — often taken from social media or a short phone call. They then call you sounding exactly like a family member, a colleague, or an "official," usually with an urgent request for money or information.
The typical play: a panicked call from a "relative" or "friend" who is in trouble and needs money immediately, and can't talk for long.
How to protect yourself: if a call is emotional and urgent, pause. Hang up and call the person back on their real number. Agree a private "safe word" with close family for emergencies. A real loved one won't mind you double-checking.
Deepfake video calls
AI can now generate realistic video of real people. Fraudsters have used fake video calls — sometimes with several "colleagues" on screen — to authorise payments or convince victims that a request is legitimate.
How to protect yourself: treat urgent payment requests as suspicious even on video. Verify through a separate, trusted channel before acting. Be wary if the person avoids certain movements, the audio and lips don't quite match, or the quality is oddly poor.
AI-written phishing messages
Poor grammar used to be a giveaway. Now scammers use AI to produce clean, professional, personalised messages in any language — including convincing imitations of real companies.
How to protect yourself: stop judging messages by their language quality. Focus instead on what the message asks for and how it arrived. Never act on links in unexpected messages — open the app or website yourself.
QR code scams ("quishing")
Fraudsters place fake QR codes — on stickers over real ones, in emails, on posters, or on fake parking and payment notices. Scanning them leads to a fake site that steals your login or payment details.
How to protect yourself: be cautious scanning QR codes from unexpected emails or public places. Check the URL before entering any data, and never log in or pay through a site you reached only via a scanned code.
"Pig butchering" investment & romance scams
A long-con scam: a stranger builds a friendship or romance over weeks, earning your trust, then introduces a "great" investment (often crypto) on a professional-looking fake platform. Early "profits" look real to encourage bigger deposits — until the money and the person disappear.
How to protect yourself: be sceptical when a new online contact steers the conversation toward investing. Never invest through a platform recommended by someone you've only met online. Guaranteed or unusually high returns are always a warning sign.
Fake apps and fake "support"
Scammers publish fake apps or set up fake customer-support numbers, chats, and social media accounts that imitate real brands. When you reach out for help, you actually reach the fraudster.
How to protect yourself: only download apps from official app stores, and only use support channels from inside the official app. Remember: our genuine support lives in the 24/7 chat inside the Blackcat and Blackcatcard apps, and our emails come only from support@blackcat.app (or occasionally support2@blackcatcard.com for some long-standing customers).
The defences that still work
No matter how advanced the scam, these habits protect you:
Slow down. Urgency is the constant across every scam, old and new.
Verify on a separate channel. Call back on a known number, or ask us in the app chat.
Never share passwords or one-time codes — with anyone, ever.
Don't trust a voice or a face alone. Identity can now be faked; verification through a trusted channel cannot.
Be sceptical of any unexpected offer, request, or emergency.
If you think you've been targeted
Stop and don't send money or share anything further.
If you shared a password, change it and enable two-factor authentication.
Contact us through the in-app support chat so we can help secure your account.
Report it so we can warn other users.
→ See: I Think I've Been Scammed: Immediate Steps