Safety
High Risk ImpactSignal
AI-Powered Crypto Scams Extract 4.5x More Money Than Traditional Scams
Event: Feb 20, 2026
What happened
Chainalysis reports that AI-enabled scams now extract 4.5 times more money per victim than traditional scams. Scammers use AI-generated deepfakes, voice cloning, and sophisticated phishing tools to impersonate exchanges, support staff, and even friends. A single social engineering attack in January 2026 stole $284 million from one victim.
What actually changed
- •AI makes scam messages more convincing and personalized
- •Deepfake videos can impersonate exchange executives or crypto influencers
- •Phishing-as-a-service tools are now widely available to criminals
- •Impersonation scams grew over 1,400% compared to 2024
- •January 2026 saw $370 million in crypto losses — highest in 11 months
Who is affected
Users
Does this change the basics?
No — Crypto fundamentals are unchanged. This is about evolving scam tactics — the same rules apply: never share keys, verify everything independently.
What a beginner should do
Be extra skeptical of unsolicited messages, even if they seem legitimate. Never click links from emails or messages claiming to be from exchanges — always go directly to the official website. No legitimate service will ever ask for your seed phrase.