Warning about sophisticated phone scams using voice-imitation technology

In recent times, a series of warnings about security risks caused by artificial intelligence (AI) have been issued, from malicious code that can steal login information to sophisticated attacks targeting mobile users.

The biggest concern right now, however, is deepfake phishing attacks targeting smartphone users, despite aggressive efforts from Google, Apple and other tech companies to beef up protections.

In fact, these attacks are so sophisticated that even security experts, including the FBI, are warning the public: "Hang up immediately and set up a secret code to protect yourself." Here's what you need to know to avoid becoming a victim.

FBI and experts warn: Deepfakes are targeting phone users

When most people think of deepfakes, they think of face-swapping videos, but the threat is much broader. One of the most dangerous scams today is AI-powered voice manipulation, a technology that is becoming increasingly popular and accessible.

Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at security company NordVPN (Lithuania), emphasized that cybercriminals are taking advantage of voice-copying technology to carry out phone scams.

“Scammers use this technology to call the victim's relatives, impersonate them and create an emergency situation in order to extort money,” Mr Warmenhoven explained.

A recent report revealed that in the US alone, more than 50 million people have fallen victim to phone scams in the past 12 months, with an average loss of $452 per person.

“Deepfakes are completely changing the way scam calls work, making them harder to detect than ever before,” Warmenhoven warned.

AI Technology: The New Tool of Cybercrime

The European police agency Europol has also warned of the rise of AI-powered attacks, suggesting that cybercriminals are becoming “high-tech criminal enterprises”.

According to Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol, these organizations are becoming more adaptive and dangerous thanks to AI technology. Europol's latest report asserts: "AI is completely reshaping the organized crime landscape, helping them automate and expand their criminal activities to be larger, more sophisticated and less detectable."

Evan Dornbush, a former cybersecurity expert at the US National Security Agency (NSA), said: "The greatest value of AI is not being more creative or smarter, but the ability to do things faster. Attackers can create twice as convincing phishing scenarios in less time and continuously refine them for maximum effectiveness."

To deal with these crimes, De Bolle stressed: "We need to disrupt their financial systems and supply chains, and embrace technology to prevent criminal networks from growing even stronger."

FBI tells phone users how to protect themselves from deepfake scams

In light of the growing prevalence of voice deepfakes, the FBI has issued a warning, with specific recommendations to minimize risks:

- Hang up immediately if you receive a call from someone claiming to be a family member or friend asking for an urgent money transfer.

- Verify the caller's identity by contacting them directly or through another relative.

- Set up a secret code that only you and your close contacts know, to use in case of identity verification.

- Limit sharing your voice on social networks, because this is the largest source of data for AI to collect and create deepfake voices.

"Social media is a huge public voice archive that cybercriminals can exploit. Be careful what you share to avoid becoming a target for deepfakes and other forms of fraud," Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert, stressed.

In short, AI technology brings many benefits, but it also opens the door to unprecedented risks. As deepfakes become increasingly sophisticated, it is important for individuals to raise awareness and proactively protect themselves and their families from potential threats.

Stay vigilant and take protective measures now to avoid becoming the next victim of high-tech scammers.