New AI scam expected to hit Aussies hard: How scammers cloned a son's voice to steal $5000
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It's sad that in today's world, scammers are increasingly coming up with new ways to trick innocent people out of their hard-earned money.
The latest disturbing trends involve using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unsuspecting parents and grandparents.
Imagine this scenario: You receive a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like your son or daughter. They're crying and desperately asking for your help, claiming they've been in a car accident and need $5,000 for bail immediately. What would you do?
For one Texas couple, Fred and Kathy, this horrifying situation became a reality. Believing they were genuinely speaking with their son, they quickly acted to help him.
‘I could have sworn I was talking to my son. We had a conversation,’ Kathy recalled.
The couple further recounted how the scammer resorted to extreme measures to persuade them of the gravity of the situation, fabricating a story that the person involved in the accident was a pregnant woman who had miscarried.
In a heart-wrenching twist, Kathy postponed her cancer treatment temporarily in order to collect the money as soon as possible.
However, it was later revealed that the couple had fallen victim to a scam that used AI to clone their son's voice.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns that scammers are increasingly using more sophisticated software to trick their targets.
An ACCC representative said: ‘With the emergence of new technologies, Scamwatch continues to see growing sophistication in scam approaches and is alert to the risks AI presents.’
‘This makes scams harder for the community to identify. The community should continue to approach any requests for personal information or money with caution and exercise caution when clicking on hyperlinks.’
While no reports of this specific AI scam have been made in Australia yet, Scamwatch states there is a real risk to the community.
The group also said that they continue to work with telecommunications and digital platform industry partners to identify methods to detect and disrupt scams.
Being vigilant and sceptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages and suspicious requests for personal information or money is paramount.
When in doubt, disconnect the call and reach out to the individual directly through a reliable phone number.
As challenging as it may be, we must protect ourselves from falling prey to these unscrupulous fraudsters.
With technology continuously evolving, exercising caution and prioritising the security of our finances and loved ones is increasingly crucial.
Stay safe out there, folks! Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be aware of this new scam tactic.
The latest disturbing trends involve using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unsuspecting parents and grandparents.
Imagine this scenario: You receive a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like your son or daughter. They're crying and desperately asking for your help, claiming they've been in a car accident and need $5,000 for bail immediately. What would you do?
For one Texas couple, Fred and Kathy, this horrifying situation became a reality. Believing they were genuinely speaking with their son, they quickly acted to help him.
Fred and Kathy thought they were on the phone with their son, but it was actually a scammer using AI voice technology. Credit: Pexels/Ron Lach.
‘I could have sworn I was talking to my son. We had a conversation,’ Kathy recalled.
The couple further recounted how the scammer resorted to extreme measures to persuade them of the gravity of the situation, fabricating a story that the person involved in the accident was a pregnant woman who had miscarried.
In a heart-wrenching twist, Kathy postponed her cancer treatment temporarily in order to collect the money as soon as possible.
However, it was later revealed that the couple had fallen victim to a scam that used AI to clone their son's voice.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns that scammers are increasingly using more sophisticated software to trick their targets.
An ACCC representative said: ‘With the emergence of new technologies, Scamwatch continues to see growing sophistication in scam approaches and is alert to the risks AI presents.’
‘This makes scams harder for the community to identify. The community should continue to approach any requests for personal information or money with caution and exercise caution when clicking on hyperlinks.’
While no reports of this specific AI scam have been made in Australia yet, Scamwatch states there is a real risk to the community.
The group also said that they continue to work with telecommunications and digital platform industry partners to identify methods to detect and disrupt scams.
Being vigilant and sceptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages and suspicious requests for personal information or money is paramount.
When in doubt, disconnect the call and reach out to the individual directly through a reliable phone number.
As challenging as it may be, we must protect ourselves from falling prey to these unscrupulous fraudsters.
With technology continuously evolving, exercising caution and prioritising the security of our finances and loved ones is increasingly crucial.
Stay safe out there, folks! Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be aware of this new scam tactic.
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