The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is warning U.S. Postal Service customers that scams using artificial intelligence (AI) make old cons and tricks appear more real, and the warning is being timed to coincide with National Consumer Protection Week, March 1-7, 2026. During this period, the Postal Inspection Service is sharing tips for avoiding these scams on www.uspis.gov, social media channels, and in radio ads, along with print ads displayed in airports in the Washington, DC; Hollywood, FL; and New York City, NY, metro areas. Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale emphasized that from fake emails and texts to cloned voice messages, calls, and deepfake videos, today’s scammers have many tools, but informed consumers can stay one step ahead by understanding common criminal methods.
Scammers are using AI-generated photos and voice clones that mimic a real person to build relationships with unsuspecting victims to ultimately get money and steal personal information. Artificial Intelligence content can make romance and investment scams, cryptocurrency scams, scams claiming to be tech support, and even fake emergency requests from friends and family feel legitimate and believable. The Postal Inspection Service highlights several telltale characteristics of a scam that uses Artificial Intelligence, including thin or inconsistent social media profiles, overly polished or easily fabricated “evidence” such as PDFs or screenshots, and requests to move conversations off mainstream platforms to services like WhatsApp, Telegram, or private email where fewer security protections apply.
Additional red flags include mismatched website information, such as tiny misspellings, non-secure sites that still request login credentials, or email addresses that do not match the website domain, with an example of [email protected] when USPS.com is the actual domain name. Inconsistencies in audio and video, such as off lip sync timing, strange lighting or jerky motion, or a voice that does not quite match a known person, are also identified as clues that content may be artificially generated. The Postal Inspection Service advises consumers to simply ignore and delete any offers that demand a “quick decision” or ask for money via cash, money transfer, or gift card, and stresses that remembering this simple guidance can help keep personal information and finances safe. For more detailed information on how to spot an Artificial Intelligence scam, consumers are directed to the National Consumer Protection Week campaign website at www.uspis.gov/ncpw-2026.
