Forget Viruses: 62% of Americans Think AI-Fueled Scams Are the Bigger Threat

Think about your daily digital routine: When was the last time computer malware stopped you in your tracks? Never? Maybe once?

Now consider how often your phone lights up with a suspect text, scam call, or phishing email. Daily? Hourly? You’re not alone—and recent data from a CNET Group (which includes PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET, and others) survey of 1,000 Americans reveals that readers are far more concerned about fraudsters than viruses.

Beyond the stats, the personal consequences of these deceptive tactics are devastating. As senior security writer Kim Key documented, one 77-year-old retired nurse lost $400,000 of her life savings after bad actors trapped her in a relentless, weeks-long impersonation scheme.

Here’s why scams have become public enemy number one, and how you can protect yourself.

Why People Fall for Online Scams

Viruses Are the Least of Our Problems

We surveyed 1,000 Americans about their security knowledge, experience, and attitudes. Presented with the statement “AI-powered scams are now more dangerous than traditional malware/viruses,” 62% indicated they agreed or strongly agreed.

Based on other survey responses, that agreement stems from personal experience. More than 80% of respondents reported receiving scam calls or emails at least once a week, sometimes daily. Over 76% suffer scam texts on a weekly basis, or more often.

Taking a different tack, the survey asked participants to identify their top three cybersecurity concerns. When asked about their primary online fears, respondents ranked scam-related risks at the very top:

That’s right. The top four concerns are all related to scams and fraud. Traditional malware barely makes it into the top five.

Industry Experts Agree: AI Is Making Fraud Harder to Spot

Security companies like Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, McAfee, and Norton hear just what’s troubling their customers, and these days, what’s keeping them up at night isn’t malware or ransomware. It’s the proliferation of scams, especially those boosted by AI.

I encountered the screen shown below during a McAfee presentation:

(Credit: McAfee/PCMag)

“People’s confidence in spotting scams is 33% lower than it was a year ago, which can lead to the fact that even routine messages start to feel suspicious,” said Marc Vos, senior global PR manager for McAfee. “People are seeing more and more suspicious content, yet they have challenges understanding what they’re seeing…Consumers shouldn’t have to be security experts. Consumers need protection that keeps up with how fast threats are evolving…AI is making it easier for bad actors to create more convincing threats, impersonate people we trust, and reach people at a scale and speed we haven’t seen before.”

I asked my contacts at several other major security brands for comments. “Scams have overtaken many traditional crimes in scale, with an estimated $442 billion lost to scams globally and roughly $21 billion lost by Americans alone in 2025,” said Mark Beare, general manager of the consumer business unit at Malwarebytes. “Fake websites are the front door to much of that fraud. Malwarebytes research found that malicious websites…outnumber every other scam delivery method, ahead of email and text messages…The thing most likely to drain your bank account today isn’t a virus. It is a link that looks like it came from your bank, a delivery service, or a friend.”

“While traditional malware remains a serious threat, AI-powered scams are becoming the more immediate risk for everyday people,” said Alina Bizga, security analyst at Bitdefender. “You don’t need to download a malicious file to lose money or have an account taken over. A convincing text, a fake ad in your social-media feed, a job offer, an email, or a call that sounds like someone you trust can be enough. AI is making these scams easier to create, more convincing, and far easier to spread across different platforms and languages.”

Arm Your Devices: The Best Anti-Scam Protection

We all agree that getting scammed is way more likely than getting hit by a traditional malware attack. And the consequences are just as dangerous, or worse. So just how do you avoid these scams?

First, make sure you’re taking advantage of any scam-detecting assistance you already have. Your antivirus or security suite may well have built-in scam protection. Start with some of our favorites:

Many of the solutions above are available for free. Bitdefender offers its Scamio assistant at no charge, though paying customers get bonus features. Anybody can check a suspect link with the new Scam Link Check from Malwarebytes.

In addition, my colleague Kim Key has tested many such solutions, so be sure to read her analysis of the best scam-protection tools. I also recommend that you learn to spot phishing scams.

Ultimately, staying safe today isn’t about becoming a cybersecurity expert overnight. It’s about staying informed and letting the right tools do the heavy lifting so you can swipe, tap, and reply without second-guessing every notification that lights up your screen.

CNET Group conducted this survey using the Suzy Insights platform. The total sample size was 1,000 US adults (aged 18 and older) who own and regularly use a primary computer. Fieldwork was done Sept. 9-12, 2026, and the survey was carried out online.

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

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Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my “User to User” and “Ask Neil” columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

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