The FBI says artificial intelligence is driving the number of internet crimes up in Arizona.
In the first seven months of 2025, AI accounted for more than 9,000 complaints to the agency's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The FBI has not yet released its annual Internet Crime Report, but spokesperson Brooke Brennan said:
“I can definitely say that we’re seeing a lot of fraud and scams in 2025 compared to the numbers lost in 2024. There has been a pretty significant increase in Arizona.”
Common schemes included phony grandchildren calling for ransom money, and scammers spoofing FBI phone numbers.
Brennan said it’s a good reminder that the FBI and legitimate government agencies will not call you for money.
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