{"id":226789,"date":"2026-02-20T05:01:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T13:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=226789"},"modified":"2026-02-19T12:40:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T20:40:10","slug":"this-week-in-scams-ai-search-traps-a-fintech-breach-and-a-12m-louvre-hustle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/security-news\/this-week-in-scams-ai-search-traps-a-fintech-breach-and-a-12m-louvre-hustle\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in Scams: AI Search Traps, a Fintech Breach, and a $12M Louvre Hustle"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI is supposed to make the internet easier. But right now,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0also making\u00a0scams\u00a0easier.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Every week, we round up the biggest\u00a0scam\u00a0and cybersecurity stories of the moment so you can recognize red flags, protect your accounts, and avoid the most common traps scammers are using.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This week in\u00a0scams,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0talking AI-powered search\u00a0scams, a major fintech data breach, and an unexpected ticket fraud scheme that allegedly cost the Louvre millions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s\u00a0jump in:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Google AI Overviews Are Being Used to Scam People Out of Money<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Google Search\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0just show links anymore. Now, it often shows AI-generated summaries at the top of the page called\u00a0<\/span>AI Overviews,\u00a0<\/span><\/b>quick answers designed to save you time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But according to\u00a0<\/span>reporting from\u00a0<\/span>WIRED<\/span><\/i>,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0scammers are finding ways to exploit these AI summaries by planting\u00a0<\/span>fake customer support phone numbers<\/span><\/b>\u00a0into search results.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s\u00a0how the\u00a0scam\u00a0works:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Someone searches for a bank, airline, or service provider, usually something like\u00a0<\/span>\u201cCompany name customer support number.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0Then Google\u2019s AI Overview pulls a phone number from somewhere online and displays it as if\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0legitimate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The problem? Sometimes that number\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0connect you to the company at all.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, it connects you to a scammer impersonating customer service, someone trained to sound helpful, calm, and official, while quietly steering you toward sharing payment information, account details, or verification codes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0just misinformation.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a direct path into fraud.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Google told\u00a0<\/span>WIRED<\/span><\/a>\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0working to strengthen anti-spam protections in AI Overviews, but also recommends users double-check customer support numbers through\u00a0additional\u00a0searches.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Key red flags<\/span> to watch for<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n