Victims are receiving calls from numbers and voices they recognise; then later, they realise they've been scammed.
What is Spoofing?
Spoofing is where a scammer changes their Caller ID or phone number to a number that you might recognise, such as a bank or an organisation.
A phishing scam that involves spoofing will involve the perpetrator calling the victim on a handheld device. The scammer will say that they are from a bank or a business and inform them of a situation that needs to be responded to quickly. This could be that a payment for a phone bill hasn’t gone through, that they’ve discovered malware on your computer, or that someone has gained access to their bank account.
When the victim checks the phone number that the scammer is calling from, and sees that it is the correct number for the business or organisation, they are convinced that the phone call is legitimate. The scammer can then ask them for personal information to ‘solve the issue’, such as their bank details, or request access to their computer. This information is then used by the scammer to gain access to the victim’s devices, accounts or finances.
Why AI is making this scam much, much worse
Spoofing is a common tactic used by scammers; however, with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, scammers have made spoofing even more convincing. AI can now produce a replica of any voice with a few minutes of audio recording, and scammers are using these replicas to convince victims that their friends, family and partners are in danger. This is called voice cloning, and it is becoming much more common.
One victim reports that a scammer contacted her and used spoofing to convince her that he had kidnapped her sister; the victim heard her sister crying in the background, and sent money to the scammer. Another victim states that the scammer contacted her and said that her grandson was in prison and that he needed money for the court date; they requested to speak to their grandson who confirmed the scammer’s story, and they sent money to the scammer.
The combination of voice cloning and spoofing means that scammers are more convincing than ever before. These calls are particularly effective as they incite fear in a much more immediate way than a call from a bank or a business; victims are afraid for the lives of their friends and family. When we are afraid, our ability to think critically decreases and our adrenaline increases so that we are able to make faster decisions. In threatening situations, this can be useful; but during scam calls, this can be exploited.
How you can keep yourself, and your loved ones, safe
If you receive a call from a number you recognise, it is important to remember that it might not be legitimate. In a situation where a bank or a business has contacted you unexpectedly, always inform the caller that you will ring them back directly. Hang up, wait a few minutes to ensure that the phone line is clear, find the number online and call the organisation. They will be able to confirm whether the phone call is legitimate, or fraudulent.
This becomes more complicated when calls also include voice cloning. An easy way to check whether the caller is your friend or family member is by contacting them directly yourself; however, as with the above victims, this isn’t always possible. Agreeing a codeword with your loved ones ahead of time allows you to check the legitimacy of the caller; this is particularly important for elderly relatives, as many of these calls are aimed at those with less technological literacy.
Finally, make sure that your loved ones are aware of spoofing and voice cloning; staying informed is the best way you can avoid falling for these scams.
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