Shield Yourself from AI Scam Calls: A Step-by-Step Guide
The phone rings. It’s your family member’s number. Panic clenches your gut as their voice, with urgency, spills out a story of a horrific accident. They need money immediately, or face jail time. The desperation in their voice feels bone-chillingly real. But a sliver of doubt lingers. Ignoring the frantic pleas, you hang up. Taking a deep breath, you dial your their number again. Relief washes over you as her familiar voice, calm and collected, answers. There was no accident. You’ve just dodged an AI-powered scam call.
The world of phone scams is evolving, and scammers are now wielding the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to create realistic voice clones. These clones can mimic the voices of loved ones, creating a sense of urgency and trust that can trick you into handing over money or personal information. Here’s a step-by-step guide to protect yourself and your loved ones from these sophisticated scams:
Step 1: Be Suspicious of Urgent Calls, Especially from Familiar Numbers
Gone are the days when bad audio quality or unnatural pauses were telltale signs of a scam call. AI technology can now produce near-perfect human speech replicas. So, the next time you receive a frantic call, even if it seems to be coming from a familiar number, treat it with caution.
Step 2: Hang Up and Call Back Yourself
Scammers can manipulate caller ID to make it appear as if they’re calling from a legitimate source. Don’t fall for this trick. Instead, hang up politely and initiate a new call. Look up the phone number you received the call from (not the one displayed on your screen) or find the contact information from your trusted sources (phone book, email, etc.).
Step 3: Verify Through Another Communication Channel
Once you have the correct contact information, try calling your loved one back directly. You can also consider reaching out through a different, secure communication channel, such as video chat or email. This two-pronged approach helps confirm the legitimacy of the call and ensures you’re speaking to the actual person.
Step 4: Craft a Secret Safe Word (Optional)
Here’s a proactive tip – create a secret code word or phrase known only to you and your loved ones. If someone claiming to be a family member or friend calls with an urgent request, you can ask them for this safe word. If they can’t provide it, that’s a red flag. This strategy is particularly helpful for protecting vulnerable individuals like young children or elderly relatives who might be more susceptible to emotional manipulation.
Step 5: Test Their Knowledge with Personal Details (if Safe Word Isn’t Established)
In the absence of a pre-determined safe word, you can still test the caller’s knowledge. Ask them a specific question that only a genuine loved one could answer correctly. For example, “What did we have for dinner last night?” or “Tell me about that funny thing that happened with [shared memory].” A scammer wouldn’t be able to guess these details accurately.
Step 6: Remember, Anyone’s Voice Can Be Mimicked
Don’t assume you’re immune to AI voice scams because you’re not a celebrity or politician. Scammers can use snippets of your voice from seemingly innocuous sources like social media posts or voicemail recordings to create a convincing clone. Be mindful of your online footprint and the information you share publicly.
Step 7: Don’t Be Pressured by Emotional Tactics
Scammers are experts at manipulating emotions. They might create a sense of urgency or panic to cloud your judgment. If you feel emotionally overwhelmed during a call, take a deep breath and politely end the conversation. Remember, a legitimate caller won’t mind if you need a moment to confirm their identity.
By following these steps and staying vigilant, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to AI-powered phone scams. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. When in doubt, hang up and verify the caller’s identity before taking any action. Reach out to us at PivIT Strategy to discuss this further.
