In 2025, bank frauds no longer look like cheap spikes – they are smart, convincing and supported by artificial intelligence. More and more Romanians fall into the net, and the technology plays in the camp of criminals.
At first you get an email or phone that seems trivial, until you get to realize that you have just authorized a payment to an unknown. And sometimes too late.
If you have the impression that bank frauds start with a hacker in a Russian cellar typing codes on a green screen, you stayed behind. Nowadays, the “scam” can be disguised in a bank consultant, speaks politely, has a convincing tone and knows exactly how to scare you. In fact, he only needs a phone and some minimal knowledge of AI.
“Fraud does not just mean lost money. It's more than that: it's stolen confidence. It's a blow that starts with an emotion and ends with the loss of money. That's why we created Call Monitor and Help Mama, to be there exactly when people are the most vulnerable. Let's protect them, not just to give them information. You do? », but we offer them the help they need in real time, to be able to make decisions for us. – Gabriela Nistor, CEO Salt Bank
Romania is in full wave of digital fraud, the figures also support: 1 out of 3 Romanians has been targeted by a phishing attempt in the last year. Nearly 90% of security breaches start from such attacks. And the more you are online, more “on the wave”, more certainly you will not suffer, the more you risk.
Fraud no longer sounds to fraud
The phone rang. Number of Romania, known prefix. It is recommended from the bank. He tells you that your card was blocked. Or that a payment of 5,000 lei from your account has just been initiated and you have to confirm that you are. You have two options: you panic and do what you say or ignore, but you are still afraid and wait.
This is how one of the most common fraud begins: spoofing or impersonation. The false employee of the bank asks for personal data, convinces you to install a “security” application or dictate them authentication codes. Sometimes people even make payments to his directions, believing they are protecting themselves.
The most vulnerable to these types of fraud are especially the elderly, but not only them. Active, connected people, convinced that “they know” are often the easiest to manipulate. About 60% of Romanians cannot differentiate between a real site of the bank and a clone. And 71% adopted, consciously, risky online behaviors, although 68% recognize that I know the risks.
Phishing 2.0, now with artificial intelligence
Perhaps the most dangerous upgrade of fraud is that AI has come into play. We are not talking about left -handed messages, full of mistakes. We are talking about emails, SMS, WApp messages and even calls built on your data, with a script written especially for you. In short: a personalized attack, exactly on your “taste”.
The AI makes everything easier: write the message, simulate the voice, generate a false site, adapt the language. Sometimes all you have to do is press a button. From there, the attacker guides you, step by step, give him everything he needs: card data, passwords, dynamic codes.
And yes, 60% of the attacks are based on emotional pressure. Not the lack of information makes us victims, but fear. Panic. Hurry. The illusion that “if you do not act now, you lose everything.”
Banks are also affected
The worst part is that false messages look very good with the real messages of the bank. And those who do not know about the visual identity of the bank and do not have a careful digital behavior can not make the difference (for example, to look at the URL of the site received that are not different from the bank's real URL when looking for Google). The NBR warns: the banking industry is increasingly digital, and this comes with an increasing exposure to risks. Cards, applications, links, passwords, confirmations, practically every digital step can become a trap.
And the attempts are not rare. In the urban environment, 61% of Romanians were targeted by online fraud at least once. Almost 40% more times. The consequences? Malware installed on their phone or PC (42%), lost money (30%), stolen data (22%). Most desired information? Bank data (26%) and social media accounts (18%).
From street corner corner offender to digital criminal corporation
Europol says directly: “The organized crime DNA changes.” Criminal groups are today tech business with budgets, AI, digital infrastructure and know-how. It exploits geopolitical instability, online platforms and personal data to increase their profits. They are more adaptable and more dangerous than ever.
And they will not stop. Artificial intelligence is the wet dream of any fraudulent: it automates the attacks, personalizes them, scales them. And are hard to detect. Basically, any fraud tested once on a victim becomes a successful model for tens of thousands.
What can you do though?
Classic information is no longer sufficient. Neither do you know what a suspicious email looks, nor give data on the phone. Today, you need a real “digital shield”, monitoring systems, multiple authentication, alerts, but especially a healthy dose of skepticism.
It is time to move from “I cannot happen to me” to “anyone can happen, so I am prepared”. Technological solutions, such as call protection applications or transaction verification tools, become a must have, not a nice to have.
Because yes, we live in a world where AI writes poems and makes funny clips, but also in which you can leave you without money in less than two minutes.
And do not forget: if someone calls you, he tells you he is from the bank and asks for your data it would be best to close. Real banks don't do this, because they already have them. The scammers, on the other hand, need them.
Article supported by Salt Bank
