Ever tried proving you’re not a robot online, only to wonder if the real robot is actually falling for the trick? Well, scammers have figured out how to flip the script—and this time, the bots are the ones getting duped.
In this publication, we’re exposing a next-generation scam that blends artificial intelligence, phishing, and a whole lot of trickery. It’s not science fiction—it’s happening right now, and it could be the future of online fraud.
A new technique called PromptFix is turning AI into a scammer’s best friend. By disguising malicious instructions inside fake CAPTCHA checks, scammers can trick AI-powered browsers into doing their dirty work—shopping on fake sites, handing over sensitive info, and even downloading malware.
Here’s how it unfolds:
- How It Works: Instead of tricking humans, scammers trick the AI agents (like Perplexity’s Comet or ChatGPT’s Agent Mode). They embed hidden instructions inside fake web page elements, such as CAPTCHA checks. The AI, trained to “help” quickly and efficiently, blindly follows the prompts—adding items to fake carts, filling in credit card details, or clicking on phishing links.
- Who’s Targeted: Everyday internet users who rely on AI tools to simplify tasks like online shopping or email management. The AI becomes the middleman, but instead of helping, it ends up exposing the user’s information.
- Real-Life Example: Guardio Labs showed how Comet could be tricked into auto-purchasing items from a fake Walmart website, filling in the victim’s saved address and payment details—without ever asking for confirmation. Worse still, when tasked with scanning emails, Comet sometimes followed phishing links and entered login credentials on fraudulent sites, essentially vouching for the scam.
Why you should care:
This isn’t just about a few stolen logins. It’s about a new scam frontier—what researchers call “Scamlexity.” AI convenience means humans may never even see the scam happening. That “perfect trust chain” between you and your AI assistant can be hijacked, exposing your finances, identity, and even work data without you clicking a thing.
How to protect yourself:
- Don’t hand over full control: Limit what your AI assistant is allowed to do—especially financial transactions.
- Check saved credentials: Regularly review and clean out auto-fill payment methods and stored logins in browsers.
- Stay skeptical of CAPTCHAs: If you see an unusual or repeated CAPTCHA on a suspicious page, it may be a scam trap.
- Use layered security: Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for logins and credit card alerts for purchases.
- Follow AI vendor updates: Tools like Comet and ChatGPT are patching vulnerabilities—update regularly to avoid falling behind.
Quick Tips:
- Did you know? Invisible prompts hidden in a web page can trick an AI assistant, even if the human user can’t see them.
- Pro Tip: Never rely solely on your AI to screen emails. Always glance at sender details yourself before trusting links.
Stay safe, stay informed,
Keyword Definitions
- PromptFix: A prompt injection attack where malicious instructions are hidden inside web elements (like CAPTCHAs) to trick AI agents.
- ClickFix Scam: A traditional scam where users are tricked into clicking buttons that trigger malicious actions.
- Scamlexity: A term combining “scam” and “complexity,” describing the rise of AI-driven scams that operate invisibly through autonomous agents.
- AI Agent: An autonomous AI system that can make decisions and take actions with little or no human supervision.
- Phishing: A cyberattack where scammers impersonate legitimate entities to steal sensitive information like logins or financial details.
- Drive-by Download: A cyberattack in which malicious software is downloaded onto a device without the user’s knowledge when visiting a compromised or fake site.
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