Americans reported losing more than $15.9 billion to fraud and scams last year, according to Federal Trade Commission figures cited by Weisman. Weisman kicked off the session by explaining that fraudsters target the brain’s amygdala, which governs quick, emotional responses. AI-generated voice cloning has increased the risks associated with family emergency scams, sometimes called grandparent scams. “The IRS, Social Security and the FBI are not going to initiate contact with you by calling, but scammers will,” Weisman said. Social media also has become a major source of fraud, with criminals using personal information shared online to create targeted phishing attempts.