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McAfee Shines at CES 2025: Redefining AI Protection for All | McAfee Blog
As CES kicks off in Las Vegas, we’re taking our place amongst the companies and thinkers who’re leading breakthroughs in tech. Some of the topics we’ll touch on in Las Vegas this year — the new breed of AI PCs, using AI in the fight against text and email scams, and AI-generated disinformation, and the state of the Scamiverse online today.
First up on Tuesday, Dan Huynh, our VP of Business Development, joins a panel of business leaders for a look at the new experiences that AI PCs can power. From video and photo editing to far-faster computing to increased security, Dan and the panel will share stories about how AI PCs can transform the way we work, play, and create.
On Thursday, we take the stage to talk about using AI as an ally against AI-generated content that misleads and disinforms — particularly in the case of malicious AI deepfakes. German Lancioni, our Chief AI Scientist, joins a panel to discuss how people can trust what they’re seeing in this age of AI.
And just in advance of CES, today we share the findings of our latest study, The State of the Scamiverse 2025. After surveying adults worldwide, we found that scams are surging, even as people’s awareness of them is growing. Globally, the average person sees 10 scams per day, and the average American gets targeted by 14.4 scams every day, with an average of 2.6 deepfake videos in that mix.
We also put a finger on just how cheaply, and how quickly, AI can create deepfakes. A study of 17 different deepfake-creation tools by McAfee Labs found that for just $5 and 10 minutes of setup time, scammers can create powerful, realistic-looking deepfake video and audio scams.
Put another way, for the price of a latte and in less time than it takes to drink it, a scammer can create a convincing deepfake video of your mom, your grandchild, your boss, or your coworker.
Other findings show how the Scamiverse continues to expand and evolve. The big headline is that AI-powered scam technology is no longer a novelty. It’s a weapon cybercrooks use to exploit people at every level, every day. And they use it to supercharge their scams, creating them at a speed and scale that we haven’t seen until now.
The impact is real, costing people money, time, and emotional distress. People who responded to the survey told us so. In all, they reported 25 different types of scams that they, or someone they knew, stumbled across online. The top ten scams reported by percentage looks like this:
| Rank | Scam | Reports | Description |
| 1 | Fake shipping notification | 36% | Claims a package is delayed or undeliverable, with a link to “resolve” the issue |
| 2 | Fake delivery notice | 34% | Claims you have a missed package and prompts you to click a link to “reschedule delivery” |
| 3 | Account verification scam | 29% | Claims your account (e.g., Google, PayPal) will be suspended unless you click a link and enter your details |
| 4 | Special offer scam | 24% | Promises massive discounts or freebies but contains links to phishing sites |
| 5 | Lottery or prize scam | 23% | Claims you’ve won a prize but asks for payment or personal information to claim it |
| 6 | Bank imposter scam | 22% | Poses as your bank, warning of suspicious activity and requesting login details or personal information to “secure” your account |
| 7 | Fake invoice | 21% | Sends invoices for products or services you didn’t order, pressuring you to pay |
| 8 | Fake news videos | 21% | Spreads fabricated news stories asking for donations or personal support |
| 9 | Subscription renewal scam | 20% | Asks you to update payment details for a subscription (e.g. streaming services or antivirus software) |
| 10 | Friendly text scam | 18% | A stranger sends a friendly text, and after engaging in conversation, they ask for money through a fake investment or romance scam |
Also making a strong showing in the reports, plenty of deepfake scams driven by malicious AI. Of those, 18% of people reported celebrity endorsement scams and 16% cited cryptocurrency scams. Another 12% called out family emergency scams where faked text, audio, or video messages claim a loved one is in trouble and needs money right away.
You can get your copy of The State of the Scamiverse 2025 here. It takes a deeper dive into the topic and covers several ways you can protect yourself from all kinds of scams, new and old — including our new Scam Detector, which we also announced today.
