Artificial intelligence frauds
Artificial intelligence-powered fraud schemes
A report from September last year revealed that 75% of Social Security recipients are unaware of Artificial Intelligence-powered fraud schemes targeting them, and 1 in 5 respondents weren’t confident in their ability to recognize AI-driven Social Security scams (Perceptions of AI-Driven Social Security Fraud | Atticus). Scams today can utilize AI capabilities to conduct convincing and large-scale attacks on individuals or organizations, which can be difficult for consumers to counter. An important way to protect yourself from AI-powered scams is first to understand common scam types and scenarios.
Phishing attacks
AI-powered phishing attacks can create professional emails or messages that are highly convincing and sound identical to official representatives. Now more than ever, consumers need to be aware of the source and contents of messages asking for sensitive information.
Fake media
AI has been used to create fake media, including fake news articles, social media posts, or job postings. Fraudsters can pass these fake media sites off as real to trick consumers, spread misinformation, and collect personal information. Consumers should remain cautious around unknown publishers and websites that may host false AI-generated information.
Synthetic voice scams
Scammers now use AI to create voices that impersonate specific individuals or create believable personas for scam callers. These voices are highly realistic and can be programmed to say anything the scammer needs to draw information from victims. Voice scams can be countered by checking the sources of the recordings and avoiding sending sensitive information to suspicious sources.
Although these are a small portion of AI-powered scams, proper caution will help consumers identify and avoid these new kinds of threats. The Santa Clara County Privacy Office encourages consumers to learn more about these kinds of scams and to think critically about how to protect their personal information. A full list of the common AI scams can be found here.
Digital scams
Digital consumer rights. In today's digital age, our online activities play a significant role in our daily lives. From shopping and banking to socializing and accessing information, the internet has changed how we interact with the world. However, it's essential to remember that as consumers in the digital world, we have rights that deserve protection.