New AI Phone Scams: How do I protect myself from it?

New phone scams using AI have increased. How do I recognize one and how can I protect myself from it? Find out helpful tips here on how to recognize telephone fraud with AI and act correctly.

What is AI phone Scams?

AI phone fraud is a new form of telephone fraud that uses artificial intelligence. This type of fraud comes in the form of automated calls designed to give the impression that they are human and able to carry on conversations.

On the other hand, the perpetrators use artificial intelligence to imitate voices from family and friends. A few voice recordings from social media such as TikTok, Instagram or WhatsApp are sufficient. The new telephone scam with AI sounds so real that any age group can fall for it – not just older people like the grandchild trick. That’s why extreme caution is required.

What scams are there?

The perpetrators often use digital technologies to carry out sophisticated scams (= digital rip-offs). An example of this is so-called phishing – fishing for valuable data. The fraudsters pose as bank employees, police officers or other official bodies. During the call, they ask their victims to reveal confidential information. This includes passwords or PIN for online banking accounts.

Another popular approach used by telephone scammers is to trick those affected into believing that they have won a competition. They then request personal information such as address or date of birth under the pretense of sending a prize. They either sell this data on on the Darknet or involve those affected in a subscription trap that results from the alleged competition.

The grandchild trick is now the best-known form of telephone fraud. With the AI ​​voice imitation of acquaintances, friends and family, this reaches a new level: all age groups are now affected as it is difficult to detect telephone fraud with AI.

AI technologies also make it possible to carry out such fraudulent activities on a large scale without being detected. The use of speech synthesis algorithms enables a computer program to imitate voices and to create more natural dialogues between humans and machines.

How do I detect a phone scam with AI?

A key sign of AI phone fraud is the voice on the other end of the line . These voices often sound unnatural and robotic . The fraudsters use programmed voices to impersonate real people. Therefore, be skeptical if the voice seems strange. You know such voices from call centers, among other things, before you are put through to a flesh-and-blood service employee.

Another warning sign is the content of the conversation : fraudsters often try to obtain sensitive information such as bank details or passwords . Be suspicious and do not reveal any sensitive information. In an emergency, neither the police nor a bank would ask you about it over the phone, but in person.

The time of the call can also be an indication of telephone fraud using AI. Scammers often rely on unusual times when people may be less attentive. So if you receive a suspicious call in the middle of the night, you should be particularly careful. In general, be careful when calling outside of normal business hours.

In the new telephone scam using AI, however, it is difficult to recognize the voice on the other end of the line as untrue. This means: What was once a grandchild’s trick can now be a mother’s, father’s, son’s, daughter’s, aunt’s or uncle’s trick. However, if you listen carefully, you will notice minor irregularities . Artificial intelligence is still not quite perfect when it comes to imitating languages ​​from a few real fragments of language.

How do I protect myself from such a scam?

By paying attention to the warning signs mentioned above and remaining vigilant. Also note these points:

1. Do not reveal sensitive data and information: Neither official authorities nor banks will ask you for sensitive information such as PIN, password or credit card number over the phone. If something seems suspicious, hang up.

2. Don’t pay any deposit: You should also not accept any alleged deposits that you should hand over to a supposed plainclothes police officer or a supposed lawyer at a certain meeting point. Only investigating judges can grant bail. This means that the deposit would be paid directly to the responsible investigating authority and not at any meeting point.

3. Install special anti-spam applications on smartphones: Such applications allow you to block suspicious or SPAM numbers. Depending on your telephone provider there are also special call filters that you can activate.

4. Inform family and friends about this new AI phone scam: Let your loved ones know how they can protect themselves. A shared knowledge of the dangers can help minimize the risk.

5. Hang up and inform the police: If you suspect something, interrupt the telephone conversation and call the police to report the incident. In this way you not only protect yourself, but also others: every report helps the police to investigate such cases of fraud.

Conclusion

Whether with a report about an accident prison or other difficulties – fraudsters try to manipulate their victims by fearing for family members or friends. Any means is acceptable to them – including telephone fraud with AI. As soon as money becomes the main reason for the telephone conversation, you should pay attention. Because neither the police nor a bank simply demands your money – especially not over the phone. Therefore, be aware of unusual requests for personal information or suspicious calls outside of normal business hours. When in doubt, trust your gut and hang up . To protect yourself from AI phone fraud, you should never give out your personal information over the phone