Is AI Safe? What Older Australians Should Know About AI and Scams

AI is in the news a great deal, and not all of it is reassuring. It is fair to wonder whether it is safe, especially when you hear about fake voices and cleverer scams. The short version is calm and sensible. Using AI tools yourself is safe enough when you keep your private details to yourself. The bigger change is that scammers now use AI too, which makes their messages harder to spot. This guide explains both sides plainly, and gives you simple habits that still work. If you are helping an older parent get online, see our wider guide to helping a parent go online.

Are the AI tools themselves dangerous?

For everyday use, no. Asking ChatGPT to explain a term, or asking Siri to set a reminder, is low risk. Two sensible habits cover almost everything. First, keep private and sensitive information out of any AI tool: no passwords, no bank or card numbers, no tax file number, no medical or private family details. Second, do not treat what it tells you as the final word, because AI can sound sure of itself and still be wrong. For anything that matters, check it against an official source. Beyond that, AI tools are just software, and using them carefully is fine.

How scammers are using AI

This is the part worth understanding. For years, the advice for spotting a scam was to look for clumsy spelling and odd grammar. AI has taken that tell away. Scammers now use it to write texts and emails that read perfectly, look professional, and copy a bank or courier company’s wording exactly. The gap between an obvious scam and a real message has narrowed a great deal, which is why a calm, steady routine matters more than ever. Our existing guides on spotting text message scams and email scams still apply, with one update: do not rely on bad spelling as your warning sign anymore.

Fake voices and the family emergency call

The one that worries people most is the cloned voice. With only a few seconds of audio, often taken from a video posted online, AI can copy how a person sounds. Scammers use this for the family emergency call. The phone rings, and you hear what sounds exactly like a son, daughter or grandchild, upset and in trouble, needing money right now. It is designed to make you act on fear before you stop to think.

The defence is simple and it works. If you ever get an urgent, out-of-character plea for money, hang up and ring that person back on their usual number. Ask something only they would know. Check with another family member. A real loved one will understand completely. It is also worth agreeing a family safe word in advance, an ordinary word that a genuine caller can say to prove it is really them. This same calm approach protects against the phone call scams that pretend to be your bank, the ATO or Centrelink.

Fake images and videos

AI can also create convincing fake photos and videos, sometimes called deepfakes. Plenty of it is harmless fun, but it also turns up in scams and dodgy adverts, including ones that put words in the mouth of a well-known Australian to sell a fake investment. The lesson is the same as ever. Be wary of anything that promises easy money, uses a celebrity to vouch for it, or pushes you to act fast. If an investment sounds too good to be true, it is. Our guide on bank text scams covers the urgency trick in more detail.

Where to get help and report a scam in Australia

If you are unsure about a message, or you think you have been caught out, help is free and no one will judge you. Scamwatch offers free, confidential advice at scamwatch.gov.au. To report a cyber incident such as a hacked account, a scam website or online fraud, use ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au, which passes the matter to police. If money has moved, contact your bank straight away, as they may be able to stop or recover it. In an emergency, or if you are in danger, call 000.

If you clicked a link or shared a detail and feel uneasy, do not panic. Our guide on what to do if you clicked a scam text link walks through the calm next steps.