When an undisclosed number appeared on Frank’s phone, it marked a typical day for him. Despite his usual practice of ignoring unknown numbers, he made an exception this time and was surprised to hear his daughter’s voice on the line, informing him that she was in jail.
Recognizing his daughter’s voice immediately, Frank was taken aback, especially since he had kept his last name a secret. The conversation felt genuine to him, even though it was unsettling to hear his sister’s voice in distress.
The caller, impersonating his daughter, claimed to need a loan due to a car accident involving a pregnant woman. This unexpected request for $12,500 left Frank in a state of panic, considering their limited retired income.
Driven by fear, Frank rushed to the lender to withdraw the money, only to receive a call from his actual daughter just in time. It dawned on him that he had almost fallen victim to a scam.
The use of artificial intelligence voice cloning to deceive individuals is on the rise, as highlighted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Scammers can now replicate voices using snippets from online videos, leading to an increase in AI-related complaints reported by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
According to a survey by Macfee, victims have lost significant amounts ranging from \(500 to \)15,000 in AI voice cloning attacks. These sophisticated “spear phishing” tactics target individuals with personalized information obtained from public sources like social media.
Margrit Betke, an AI researcher at Boston University, expressed concerns about the misuse of AI technology for malicious purposes. While AI has beneficial applications, the ease of voice cloning poses risks, especially in social interactions and media.
Betke emphasized the need for regulations to monitor and control the misuse of AI technologies like voice cloning. President Biden’s recent executive order aims to enhance AI oversight and introduce measures for labeling AI-generated content.
Despite reporting the incident to the local authorities, Frank found little recourse since no money was lost. To prevent future scams, he and his family have implemented verification methods to confirm the identity of callers claiming to be in distress.
In response to such threats, the FTC recommends immediate verification by contacting the alleged at-risk individual directly and establishing code words for emergency situations. Safeguarding social media accounts and personal information is also advised to prevent the misuse of AI-generated content.
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