In an interview with Vermillio’s Chief Business Officer, Mickey Maher, ABC7 reports that as holiday shopping ramps up, more consumers are turning to artificial intelligence to help cut through the chaos. According to a recent PayPal survey:
- 34% of shoppers plan to use AI to find the best deals
- 30% will compare products with it
- 26% are relying on AI for gift inspiration
Beyond shopping, AI is even helping people map out their holiday budgets based on income and expenses.
But with convenience comes new risks. Experts warn that AI-driven fraud could surpass $10 billion globally this season. Scammers are increasingly using AI to impersonate celebrities, create fake charity appeals, and even produce deepfakes using photos pulled from social media.
Vermillio’s Chief Business Officer, Mickey Maher, recommends verifying requests for money by checking official social pages, researching charities, or directly contacting the source. Families are also encouraged to establish code words or safe phrases to confirm authenticity when a message seems suspicious.
With holiday stress making shoppers more vulnerable, staying alert is essential. Discover more ways to protect yourself from holiday scams in our latest blog.