Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a rapidly developing field over the past few years, with new applications and uses emerging constantly. Unfortunately, as with any new technology, there are people who try to use AI for scams and frauds. In this blog post, we'll look at some of the artificial intelligence scams that have emerged in recent times and how you can protect yourself and your business.
Deepfakes scams are AI-generated videos or images that make it appear as if someone said or did something they didn't. Criminals are increasingly using deepfakes to impersonate others and commit fraud. As AI technology advances, deepfake scams are becoming more sophisticated and difficult to detect. As stated by David Blaszkowsky, head of strategy and regulatory affairs for Helios Data, “One by one, all the ‘unique’ metrics that protect access to data and accounts are being wiped out, like antibiotics against ever-mutating infectious diseases,” he says. “It has always been easy to fool human ‘gatekeepers. But with deepfakes it is easier than ever to fool the computers, too.” Below we have listed three deepfake scams to watch out for:
Social Engineering has been and always will be a threat. AI is now making it far more effective and difficult to identify. Someone using social engineering techniques will try to manipulate you into giving up personal information by harvesting public information about you and then trying to trick you into believing they are someone else that you may trust to deceive you.
AI-powered chatbots are becoming more common in customer service and sales, but now they can also be used for scams. Scammers are now using chatbots to impersonate legitimate companies and steal personal information from unsuspecting victims. The Chief executive of the US cybersecurity firm Rapid 7, Corey Thomas, warns, “The idea that you can rely on looking for bad grammar or spelling to spot a phishing attack is no longer the case. We used to say that you could identify phishing attacks because the emails look a certain way. That no longer works.” Everyone must think more critically about how they are communicating with their peers and customers. If you normally communicate with someone via email, and suddenly they are sending you text messages asking for money, that is worth validating via alternative means, especially if the one reaching out is an executive / finance role. If you are uncertain if something is wrong, asking via a different method of communication is always recommended.
While Malware itself may not have been revolutionized by ai, the delivery methods have become far more intelligent making it difficult to stay ahead of the threats we face daily. Threat actors can use the above social engineering techniques to deliver malicious payloads in a way that aren’t as easy to detect, and then once inside of your environment can harvest a massive amount of personal data to continue making intelligent phishing / malware attacks against you, and people you know.
There’s a lot of habits you can adopt to protect yourself and your business from AI scams. It is important to be vigilant and cautious. We would recommend the following tips:
If you end up encountering one of these scams, you should report it to the Federal Trade Commission through their website: FTC Fraud Report and the Internet Crime Complaint Center
As AI technology advances, the methods in which criminals exploit the technology advances as well. It is important to be aware of new AI scams and being aware that not everything you see can be universally trusted. By being cautious and aware you can minimize your risk, and your company’s risk of falling victim to an AI scam.
iuvo is committed to educating and staying at the forefront of emerging scam techniques. Our expert team is ready and able to provide comprehensive training and advice to companies, ensuring you are equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively protect yourselves against evolving threats. If you’d like to learn more, please contact us today!