Cybersecurity company McAfee has released a New Report (PDF) This suggests that an increasing number of people are being duped by artificial intelligence voice scams. It found that 10% of adults surveyed had been personally victimized and another 15% knew someone who had been victimized. Alarmingly enough, AI can mimic anyone’s voice with just three seconds of audio. It is easy to imagine the devastation this would cause.
Of the victims, 77% reported losing money as part of the scam. Cybercriminals can use this technique to leave fake voicemails or call victims’ contacts pretending to be themselves. A third of the 77 percent who lost money said they lost more than $1,000. About 7% said large sums of money were lost, between $5,000 and $15,000.
“Artificial intelligence brings incredible opportunities, but with any technology, there’s always the potential for it to be used maliciously in the wrong hands. That’s what we’re seeing today with the accessibility and ease of use of AI tools. are helping cybercriminals scale their efforts in increasingly compelling ways,” said Steve Grobman, McAfee CTO.
So, how on earth do you protect yourself from these types of scams? McAfee has some tips to get you started securing your communications. First, it asks to set up a code word, which your contacts can use to prove you’re talking to a real person and not an AI fake. Another point is to question the source. If you are suspicious of a call, you should hang up immediately and call the person you reserved for them back. This way you can avoid fraud.
