AI search summaries can scam you without warning — here’s how it happens and how to protect your money

WIRED recently warned that Google’s AI-generated summaries, called AI Overviews, can sometimes include scam phone numbers and misleading information, potentially leading to fraud that can cost consumers money or expose their personal information (1).

Here’s why you may not be able to trust everything you read — and what you can do to protect yourself.

How AI search results can be dangerous

If you’ve Googled something lately you may have noticed that instead of the familiar blue links, an AI-generated summary now sits on top of the page. These AI Overviews grab information from across the internet and package it into a bite-sized summary.

Convenient, right?

But AI systems also pull in inaccurate or downright malicious information.

According to reporting by WIRED, fraudsters have been publishing fake phone numbers across obscure websites alongside the names of legitimate companies.

When AI tools summarize that information, the fake numbers can end up displayed in the AI Overview at the top of the search results, sometimes leading to people calling scammers using bogus numbers.

Google says it’s in an ongoing battle against scammers. The tech giant says it’s rolling out updates to beef up spam detection and prevent fraudsters from hijacking search results.

“Our anti-spam protections are highly effective at keeping scams out of AI Overviews and showing official customer support numbers where possible,” the company said in a statement to WIRED (1).

Despite these efforts, fraud reports linked to search results and ads continue. A victim searching for a bank’s support number might mistakenly end up calling a scammer instead. Here’s what scammers can do (2):

• Ask for login credentials
• Request one-time passcodes
• Ask for payment to “fix” a fake issue
• Pressure victims to transfer money

Data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows Americans reported losing about $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, with imposter scams being the most commonly reported category. Imposter scams accounted for roughly $2.9 billion in reported losses in 2024 (3).

The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) also reported scams are on the rise, especially ones where criminals pretend to be someone you trust and use online tricks to fool people. According to their 2025 identity theft report, a key trend was the growing use of AI by criminals to make scams more convincing and to obtain personal information (4).

Scammers are finding ways to exploit trending search terms. “SEO poisoning is a technique cybercriminals use to manipulate search engine rankings, luring users to malicious websites that are carefully designed to look legitimate,” according to Christian Espinosa, bestselling author and founder and CEO of Blue Goat Cyber, an organization focused on cybersecurity training and services (5).

“While Google works hard to keep users safe, its ad system isn’t foolproof. Criminals can easily slip through the cracks by purchasing ads that appear legitimate, only to lead users to malware-infected sites,” Espinosa added.

Despite the concerning data about the rise of AI search scams, there are simple habits that everyday consumers can adopt to stay safe.

How to protect yourself right now

AI Overviews might be fast and convenient, but they can also create opportunities for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. Here’s what you can do now to protect your money and personal information:

1. Treat AI summaries as a starting point. AI Overviews might be convenient, but double-check anything involving money or personal information.

2. Go directly to the official website. Instead of calling a number shown in a summary, click through to the company’s verified website and find contact information there.

3. Be cautious with sponsored results. Scammers can purchase ads that appear above organic search results. For banks, airlines, utilities or government agencies, skip paid listings and go straight to official domains (6).