The evolving use of artificial intelligence technology, which gives machines the ability to mimic human input, has been put to uses that are creative, controversial and can be — consumer experts warn — crooked.
Known as AI for short, the technology has been used by students to get out of writing papers, by chess players to practice against an untiring opponent and by retailers to analyze customer preferences and provide “personal” shopping recommendations. Most recently, the use of AI by movie and television producers to replace human talent spurred Hollywood writers to go on strike and make headlines.
Getting too little attention, Florida’s consumer watchdog agency says, is the use of the technology to put images and information pulled from social media and other online sources to create convincing and personalized scam calls, texts and emails.
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One example highlighted by the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in a recent bulletin is a “grandparent” scam enhanced by technology.
In an older version of the scam, a caller would greet “Grandma” or “Grandpa” before saying, “It’s me — I know I sound funny because I have a cold,” and then make an urgent plea for money to get out of a scrape — such as bail or money to pay fines or car repairs after an accident. The plea comes with one more little request — not to tell anyone else about the mishap.
Crooks clone family members’ voices, falsify caller ID
Now, using audio and video clips found online, the con artist can clone the voice of a family member to make the call more compelling.
Being prepared and alert for this added twist of modern technology, the agency says, is the best defense. Encourage family members to set their social media pages to private.
Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can falsify the information sent to your telephone’s display to make their call look like it came from a jail, hospital, police station or whatever suits their purpose.
Other guidelines include:
- Agree on a private password that family members can ask for, and establish security questions with answers that can’t be found in internet searches or social media posts and profiles
- Stay calm and take standard precautions, including hanging up and calling the person at a number known to be theirs
- Listen for clues to a con like incorrect or mispronounced names or unfamiliar terms of endearment
The pressure to act quickly and to keep the call a secret are all timeless hallmarks of a scam, the agency notes. Detailed instructions on how to deliver funds in a form that is hard to recover — wired funds, a gift card or pay app — are also indications of a ripoff in the making.
Reporting fraud helps you, others
If you have been scammed, the sooner you take action the better your chances of recovering your money.
If you report the incident before the scammer has cashed in, you may be able to cancel the transaction. Contact your credit card company or bank if you paid with a credit or debit card, explain the situation and ask for a “chargeback” to reverse the charge.
If you used a gift card, contact the company as soon as possible, tell them you paid a scammer with the card and ask if they can refund your money. Similarly, if you wired the money by Western Union or Moneygram, you may be able to stop the money from being handed over by reporting the incident to the company quickly.
Finally, the agency encourages victims of fraud to help educate others by spreading the word. Report what has happened both to your local law enforcement agency and to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov.
Antigone Barton is a reporter with The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at avbarton@pbpost.com
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