In an age where technology is advancing at a breakneck pace, it's not just the young and tech-savvy who are reaping the benefits. Enter ‘Daisy,’ the artificial intelligence grandmother who’s turning the tables on phone scammers with a charming blend of old-fashioned conversation and cutting-edge tech.

The Cost of Scams: A Billion-Dollar Epidemic​

Daisy is the brainchild of UK mobile phone company O2, and she’s not your average grandma. While she may talk about her knitting projects and her beloved cat Fluffy, she’s actually a sophisticated conversational AI designed to outsmart scammers by engaging them in seemingly endless chit-chat.

As online scams continue to cost consumers billions, AI steps in with innovative solutions to help protect against fraud. Image source: Pexel/Kampus Production

This innovative approach to combating fraud is a testament to the positive potential of AI in our society. As reported by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, consumers worldwide suffered staggering losses exceeding $US1 trillion to online scams last year. The FBI’s 2023 report indicated a record $US12.5 billion in losses due to online scams, underscoring the severity of the issue.

Fighting Fire with Fire: AI Against AI​

However, the same technology that enables these scams is also being harnessed to fight back. The US federal government has acknowledged AI’s transformative role in recovering $US1 billion in check fraud. Daisy’s mission is in line with these efforts, as she’s been designed to engage fraudsters in lengthy, time-wasting conversations, keeping them away from potential human victims.

A Decoy Granny with a Mission​

O2’s unveiling of Daisy earlier this month was more than just a PR move; it was a strategic deployment in the ongoing battle against scam operations. Virgin Media O2’s director of fraud, Murray Mackenzie, emphasized the importance of vigilance, noting that scammers often run full-time call centres targeting individuals, particularly the elderly.

With scams targeting individuals, especially the elderly, O2’s Daisy is a strategic move to combat these sophisticated fraud schemes. Image source: Pexel/Tima Miroshnichenko

Keeping Scammers on the Line: Daisy’s Superpower​

In the past year alone, Virgin Media O2 blocked over £250 million ($A487.5 million) in suspected fraudulent transactions. Daisy’s role is to act as a decoy, using her own set of phone numbers that O2 has cleverly disseminated online to attract scammers.

Grandma’s Voice: Real Enough to Fool a Scammer​

The creation of Daisy, a collaboration between O2 and London advertising agency VCCP, involved modelling her voice after a real grandmother – a staff member’s relative at VCCP. This personal touch adds authenticity to Daisy’s interactions, which include sharing fabricated stories about her family, discussing her knitting hobby, and providing false personal information to throw scammers off the trail.

O2’s Daisy, crafted with a voice inspired by a VCCP staff member’s grandmother, brings a unique, human-like authenticity to trick scammers with relatable stories and hobbies. Image source: Pexel/cottonbro studio

The Perks of Being a Time-Waster​

The development of Daisy was a response to research indicating that the British public’s reluctance to bait scammers themselves stemmed from not wanting to waste their own time. Daisy, on the other hand, has ‘all the time in the world.’ Her endurance is so remarkable that she’s kept scammers on the line for up to an hour, much to their frustration.

Key Takeaways

• ‘Daisy,’ an AI-powered grandmother created by UK mobile company O2, is outsmarting phone scammers with friendly, long-winded conversations that waste their time and keep them away from real victims.
• This innovative strategy combats the growing problem of scams, which cost consumers over $US1 trillion globally last year. Daisy’s role is to keep scammers on the line, engaging them with fabricated personal stories and a voice modelled after a real grandmother.
• The AI’s efforts have proven effective; she has kept scammers on the phone for up to an hour and has helped Virgin Media O2 block over £250 million in fraudulent transactions in the past year.
• Daisy’s mission raises awareness about scam risks and showcases how AI can be used positively to protect vulnerable populations, hinting at a future where such tech could be part of everyday anti-fraud measures.

As companies and governments continue to explore innovative solutions to combat fraud, it’s not too far-fetched to imagine a world where every potential scam call is intercepted by an AI with the time and the smarts to keep scammers at bay.

While Daisy’s conversations may be saving the day, it’s important to stay vigilant. Never share personal information with unknown callers, and if a call feels suspicious, don’t hesitate to hang up.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this, dear readers. Have you ever encountered a scam call, and how did you handle it? Do you think AI like Daisy could make a difference in protecting seniors from fraud? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below – let’s have a little chat, just like Daisy would!

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[deni67]

Good on them, I love the name Daisy for an elderly grandma.

There is a guy out of America that sometimes pretends to be an old lady, he's awesome, his name is Pierogi and his channel is called Scammer Payback.
He basically sits at his computer with the rest of his team and keeps them busy while he hacks into their accounts and empties all the money out and deletes all of their files while they watch and they can do nothing to stop him, he then reimburses the money to the scammees. He also shows them how he's watching inside their call centres with dozens of scammers on film
Link to one of his videos below.

My own personal account with the scammers went like this, my partner, who also plays with them, was in hysterics:

Caller: "Hello, my name is *****, i'm calling from 'some insurance company'.
Have you had an accident in the last year?"

Me: "Why yes I have, how did you know?"

Caller: "We know everything, can you please tell me what happened."

Me: "I was driving behind Holdens, taking a short cut when I hit a cow."

Caller: "You hit a car?"

Me: "No, I hit a cow, you know, Moooooo."

Caller: "Hold on while I get my supervisor."

Supervisor: "Hello, have you had an accident in the last year?"

Me: "Yes I have, I already told your other person that."

Supervisor: "Could you please explain what happened."

Me: "I was driving behind Holdens and a cow came charging out of the bushes and I accidently hit it."

Supervisor: "You hit a car?"

Me: "No, I hit a COW, you know, mooooooo."

Supervisor: "And how did that happen?"

Me: "Well I was driving along taking the short cut when this cow came rushing out of the bushes and I accidently hit it, I think I might have killed it."

Supervisor: "Then what happened."

Me: "The farmer came running through the bushes, saw his dead cow on the road and started to yell at me. I tried to explain it to him but it didn't help when I vomited over his shoes, i'd had a bit to much to drink you see, hense why I took the short cut.
I tried to alert him to the fact that a car had pulled over and the two men that witnessed the carnage jumped out and loaded the dead cow onto a trailer, one of them looked exactly like the local butchers son."

Supervisor: beep beep beep beep.

The link to Pierogi with him pretending to be Betty, an elderly lady.
I laughed out loud when he told the scammer he had to change his catheter before he leaves.

 

[Mummanew]

I've heard a version of the hit a cow routine before, it's very funny

 

[deni67]

I've heard a version of the hit a cow routine before, it's very funny

I made it up completely on the spot at the time, iv'e never heard of it before, if you read it somewhere else then they copied it from me

 

[Mummanew]

Y

I made it up completely on the spot at the time, iv'e never heard of it before, if you read it somewhere else then they copied it from me

Yes maybe, all I know is that I've heard or read something very similar somewhere

 

[Towing]

I've heard a version of the hit a cow routine before, it's very funny

Hit a kangaroo it's common. I know a lady who genuinely hit a sheep on the road in a country area........and ended up in a paddock the opposite of the road. I wonder if she ever got a phone call about it