AI-powered scams are changing how consumers respond to everyday messages

Artificial intelligence is making scams more difficult to identify, and growing concern about fraud is changing how Americans respond to everyday communications, according to Nationwide’s 2026 Cybersecurity survey.

For Nationwide, the survey findings reinforce the importance of helping people understand emerging digital risks and giving them practical ways to protect their identity, information and finances.

Nearly four in 10 consumers (39%) say they have ignored or delayed responding to a legitimate delivery notice because they suspected it was a scam. Nearly three in 10 (29%) say they have done the same with a legitimate government message or bank alert.

That caution comes as consumers grapple with increasingly convincing AI-enabled threats. More than eight in 10 (84%) are concerned about criminals using AI to steal someone’s identity, yet only 19% are highly confident they could identify an AI-powered scam.

“AI is giving scammers new ways to make fraudulent messages, calls and requests look and sound more convincing,” said Helen Simonett, Vice President of Personal Property Lines at Nationwide. “Consumers are right to be cautious, but when it becomes difficult to distinguish a scam from a legitimate message, that uncertainty can also affect how people respond to important communications they rely on every day.”

AI is making scams harder to spot
As generative AI tools become more sophisticated and widely available, cybercriminals use them to create convincing phishing messages and impersonation attempts designed to appear as though they are coming from a trusted person or organization.

For consumers, that can make familiar warning signs harder to rely on. A message with polished language or a call that sounds like someone they know may no longer be enough to establish legitimacy.

The survey findings suggest consumers recognize the changing threat but may not feel confident identifying it. The gap between widespread concern about AI-enabled identity theft and confidence in spotting an AI-powered scam underscores the importance of slowing down and independently verifying unexpected requests before responding.

“Scammers often want people to react quickly, particularly when a message involves money, personal information or an apparent emergency,” said Simonett. “If something feels unusual, consumers should avoid using the contact information provided in the message and instead reach out to the person, company or institution through a phone number, website or app they already know and trust.”

What consumers can do to protect themselves
The survey shows consumers are already taking some basic precautions: 57% use strong, unique passwords and 47% use multifactor authentication to protect themselves from AI-powered scams and other cyber threats. But verification habits can provide another layer of protection.

• Verify unexpected requests through another channel. Contact the person or organization using a phone number, website or app you already know rather than information contained in the suspicious message.
• Create a family code phrase. Just 17% of consumers say their household currently has one for confirming a loved one’s identity during an urgent call or message.
• Use basic account protections. Strong, unique passwords, multifactor authentication and regular account monitoring can make accounts harder to compromise.
• Understand your coverage before you need it. Even with precautions in place, scams can happen. Know what protection your insurance provides, where there may be gaps and who to contact if you become a victim.
• Consider identity theft protection. Identity theft coverage may provide another layer of protection, including monitoring for suspicious activity involving personal information and help navigating recovery or reimbursement of certain related expenses. Nationwide identity theft protection is available for $45 per year when added to an eligible Nationwide auto, home, renters, condo or RV policy.

More findings from the 2026 Nationwide Cybersecurity survey can be found here.

Learn about Nationwide’s ID theft protection.