Scam Modes Using Gmail on the Rise, Google Issues This Warning

The rise of digital fraud through email has prompted Google to once again remind Gmail users to remain vigilant. These threats are evolving alongside advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), which cybercriminals are now utilising to launch increasingly convincing attacks.

Google revealed that it has blocked over 99.9% of harmful emails containing phishing, malware, and spam within Gmail. However, the company acknowledges that fraudulent methods are evolving so rapidly that they remain a significant threat to billions of users of the email service.

“With more than 2.5 billion Gmail users, we are currently deploying AI models to strengthen security defences in Gmail, including using new large language models (LLM) trained to eradicate phishing, malware, and spam,” Google stated, as reported by Forbes.

Nevertheless, cybersecurity firm McAfee considers the development of AI to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the technology helps tech companies strengthen security systems, but on the other, it is also being used by criminals to create more sophisticated and difficult-to-recognise attacks.

“As AI becomes more accessible today, cybercriminals are using it to create more convincing and personalised scams, making them harder to detect,” said McAfee. This situation presents a new challenge, as fake emails now increasingly resemble official communications from companies, banks, or government institutions.

The threat of spam also remains substantial. Data from Mailmodo shows that spam messages account for more than 46.8% of total global email traffic. The high volume of spam has led many companies to rely on alternative communication platforms such as Teams, Slack, WhatsApp, and Telegram for work collaboration.

To reduce the risk of email address misuse, several technology companies have begun offering email alias features. Apple was a pioneer with its ‘Hide My Email’ feature, which allows users to create random email addresses for service registrations without sharing their primary address.

Google is also developing a similar feature called ‘Shielded Email’. According to findings from Android Authority, this feature allows users to create alias email addresses for one-time or limited use. All messages sent to these aliases are forwarded to the user’s primary Gmail account without revealing the original email address.

Google claims that the latest AI models used by Gmail can detect spam 20% more effectively than before and can analyse user spam reports up to 1,000 times more per day. However, security experts argue that these steps are not enough and that additional protections, such as clearer labelling of harmful emails and improved user education, are necessary.

In addition to using features like ‘Hide My Email’ or ‘Shielded Email’, users are advised not to click on links in their inbox indiscriminately, even if they appear to come from official institutions. For higher protection, users can create separate email addresses specifically for public use, while keeping their primary email address private.