INDIANAPOLIS — You receive a phone call. The person on the other end sounds desperately upset, and it is uncannily similar to someone you love. This may be a scam engineered through artificial intelligence (AI).
Retired Special Agent Doug Kouns says:
“They can not only spoof the number to make it look like it’s coming from the person they think it’s coming from, but this new AI technology makes it sound just the person,”
After spending two decades with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kouns noted that identifying phone scams is becoming increasingly complex.
Doug Kouns continues to say:
“If they’re asking you for something that’s out of the ordinary or seems wrong, say ‘let me call you right back.’ Hang up, dial the number and say ‘did you just call me?’
Professor Snehasis Mukhopadhyay at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has researched artificial intelligence for over three decades.
Mukhopadhyay says:
“Recent developments in neural networks increased accuracy quite a bit,”
In the decades since its introduction, neural networks have developed so much that it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between actual and generated data. This technology in artificial intelligence allows computers to process information just as the human mind does.
Mukhopadhyay continues to say:
“If you collect the samples for an individual, of different things, different types of spoken words, voice expressions and so on, then you can reproduce it with enough accuracy to pass as the original person,”
Jennifer DeStefano, of Arizona, had the misfortune to be taken advantage of by one of these cons in January.
DeStefano says:
“That terror. That absolute terror. I was willing to get in a van with a bag over my head, with some strange guy and be hauled off,”
DeStefano received a phone call from someone with an unknown number, but the voice sounded like it belonged to her 15-year-old daughter, who was away on a skiing trip.
DeStefano went on to say:
“She goes ‘mom these bad men have me. Help me, help me, help me.’ At that point, I’m panicking and this man gets on the phone and says ‘listen here, I have your daughter,”
The experience of receiving the phone call was so traumatic that she is still dealing with its effects three months later. She has now decided to use her personal story to educate people about it.
DeStefano adds to say:
“After I put this on Nextdoor, all of these people started coming forward with different stories. I wish I would’ve know about this ahead of time because it would’ve been much easier to digest,”
What steps can you take to avoid being tricked by an AI scam and keep your family safe?
Kouns continues to say:
“Come up with something only they would know. Or just have a family meeting about it. Come up with some sort of code word that you’ve arranged in advanced to know if this is happening,”
This technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect, making it crucial for people to remain vigilant and take steps to protect themselves. This includes being cautious about sharing personal information over the phone and verifying the identity of callers, especially when dealing with sensitive information such as banking details. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and employee training programs, to help prevent these types of scams from occurring. As technology advances, we will likely see more sophisticated scams emerge, making it more important than ever to stay informed and take proactive steps to safeguard our personal and financial information.
Source: WRTV Indianapolis
