How To Fight AI Scams On A Small-Business Budget

AI has made it easier than ever for scammers to impersonate people a business already trusts, from the owner to a longtime vendor. A familiar name, convincing voice or polished email can make a fraudulent request seem legitimate, and for small businesses with limited security resources, the consequences of falling for a scam can be especially costly.

Fortunately, strengthening defenses against these increasingly sophisticated threats doesn’t necessarily require expensive technology or a dedicated cybersecurity team. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share practical, low-cost steps small businesses can take now to protect their finances, sensitive information and operations from AI-driven scams and impersonation.

Verify Financial And Credential Requests Through Another Channel

Train employees to slow down on urgency. Most AI-driven scams work because the message is designed to make someone act before they think—a “wire this now” email from the CEO; a vendor demanding an urgent payment change. Set a simple rule: Any request involving money or credentials gets verified through a second channel before acting. This stops the vast majority of these schemes and costs nothing to implement. - Shiran Weitzman, Shield

Require MFA On Critical Accounts

One of the simplest steps is to require multifactor authentication on every critical account. It costs little, takes just minutes to implement and adds a strong layer of protection when stolen passwords or even convincing impersonation attempts are used against the business. - Usman Balogun, Breet

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