Held For Ransom By AI: 5 New Scams To Watch Out For
Cyber fraudsters have a new partner in crime who can pull off scam after scam and never get tired. In 2023, if you’re scammed online, chances are it was by AI. When AI approaches you, it sounds more sincere than your partner and more formal than your manager. With no morals, it’s the perfect soldier. AI has truly become a Swiss army knife for scammers — just point it in a direction you need and watch it do its magic. Today we’re going to uncover 5 new scam methods using this technology. Join us as we explore the eerie world of AI-aided scams.
The 5 newest AI scams you should watch out for
Scam #1: AI voice-cloning scam
You've been living under a rock for months if you haven’t heard of this nasty guy.
With a few recorded sentences, an AI can mock your voice.
Scary, huh?
Demanding ransoms for fake kidnappings has never been easier.
That’s exactly what happened in April when Mrs. DeStefano received a $1 million ransom request for the fake kidnapping of her daughter.
DeStefano claims that she didn’t doubt the voice was her daughter’s for a moment.
Luckily, her daughter was safe the whole time. Scams like this show that criminals will tailor scams to individuals. Perhaps consider choosing a “safe word” or a strategy to verify it’s a real person talking to you with your family and friends.
Scam #2: Phishing emails
Chatbots like ChatGPT-3 have proven to be multipurpose tools.
Google even found that ChatGPT would be hired as an L3 software engineer.
Unsurprisingly then, AIs have excelled at producing convincing phishing emails. Chatbots easily create what scam artists struggle to produce: legitimacy.
With the right prompts, chatbots can sound more professional, credible, and convincing than you when at the job interview.
CEO fraud is becoming common too, where the AI poses as a CEO asking for money and login data.
Before handing over data, funds, or anything similar, double-check with all parties involved.
Did your boss really send that email?
Scam #3: Deepfake video scams
You’ve seen them by now — deepfakes are the terrifying reality for the future of AI.
“Deepfake” is the term used to describe a video that has been digitally altered by AI to show a false face, body, or voice.
This face can be of Angelina Jolie, Donald Trump, or even you.
Deepfakes are developing so quickly that fake videos are almost impossible to point out.
As with voice-cloning, immediately contact your family and friends if you receive a fishy video starring someone you know.
Scam #4: Chatbot catfishing
As proficient as chatbots are in corporate scams, they’re equally skilled at being casual and friendly.
So skilled, in fact, that dating app users are employing AI to flirt instead of them online.
This is great news for the socially inept of us, but it poses a risk to others, and that is already causing problems.
These chatbots are so good at sounding human. Scammers are able to catfish lonely people.
If you’ve been asked for money or login data from anyone online: make sure it’s someone you know, trust, and, most importantly, have met in person.
Scam #5: Pig butchering scam
The only pig harmed during this scam is your piggy bank.
“Pig butchering” is a gross term for a gross crime in which one party provides false investment information to another.
Criminals may call or text you with some “insider” tips, accompanied by fake profit reports, etc.
Some victims have even been referred to entirely falsified investment apps and websites. Just remember, before you invest in any stock or app, do your research.
Chances are, you’re not the first person to be scammed.
Are you safe from AI scams?
Anyone who uses the web is at risk of the new cyber threats that AI poses.
However, everyone can be safe from these scams. Awareness is the first step; next is safeguarding:
- Should you invest in an AI detector for emails, messages, etc.?
- Are you aware of all risks posed by AI?
- Are your browsing and location private?
For starters, ensure your personal data is secure with a VPN trial. Keeping your location and private information safe is key to cyber safety.
Conclusion
New waves of cybercrime are looking formidable with the addition of cutting-edge AI tools.
However, there’s no need to worry — we aren’t living in a dystopian future just yet.
Now that you know how the technology is being used by criminals, you can avoid falling victim to AI scams.
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