Toronto police are warning the public about a dramatic surge in AI-powered scams over the past six months. Detective David Coffey of the financial crimes unit reports that while the types of scams—such as romance or impersonation fraud—remain the same, artificial intelligence has made them far more convincing and targeted. Fraudsters now use AI to easily harvest personal data from the internet and corporate breaches, allowing them to manipulate victims using specific details like family names or bank card numbers.
Although the total number of fraud reports in Toronto slightly decreased last year, financial losses surged by 17% to $433 million in 2025. Devastating, long-term schemes like “pig butchering” (which transition from romance to investment fraud) are particularly damaging, often leading to severe financial and emotional ruin. To combat these sophisticated attacks, police urge citizens to remain skeptical, resist high-pressure tactics that create false urgency, and always verify information before transferring funds.
