Three signs you’re talking to an AI scammer bot and not a real human – failing the ‘timing trick’ is a dead giveaway

PHONE owners should watch out for three signs that they are messaging an AI chatbot – not a real person.

Scammers can easily use automated AI chatbots to scam you.

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They can be used for all types of scams, including romance and phishing scams.

Chatbots can be configured to deliver almost any type of scam and message you just like a real person would.

This allows criminals to automate their scams, allowing them target more people faster.

And due to advances in AI, chatbots are now extremely convincing.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between real people and AI chatbots,” said cybersecurity expert Paul Bischoff, speaking to The US Sun.

“This is especially true when it comes to customer service-related conversations, where human representatives are often limited to canned responses,” added Paul, consumer privacy advocate at Comparitech.

KILLER CLUES

It is becoming increasingly difficult to detect chatbots due to how sophisticated they have become.

But there are three signs you should watch out for – and the third is a time-based clue that is an absolute giveaway.

“Be on the lookout for repetitive responses that seem to lack humor and empathy,” Paul told us.

“Bots often have impeccable spelling and grammar, but clumsy, stiff sentences.

“Consistently fast response times are another sign.”

If messages arrive thick and fast and packed with detail, without the sender apparently having enough time to think and respond, there’s a good chance you’re talking to a chatbot.

Be careful if you notice any of these signs when messaging on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok – or on chat apps like WhatsApp or Apple’s iMessage.

Scammers using AI can attack on virtually any platform.

Phone scam statistics

Americans are bombarded with three billion spam calls per month. What are the numbers regarding the number of victims and the amount of money lost to fraudsters

• In 2022, Americans lost an estimated $39.5 billion to phone fraud, with 68.4 million US citizens affected, according to TechReport.
• The average phone scam victim lost $567.41 each in 2021, a huge increase from the figure of $182 per victim in 2021, according to Hiya.
• Most scams happen over the phone, with fraudsters twice as likely to call compared to text in 2021, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports.
• In 2021, the US saw a 56% increase in spam phone calls, with 60% of those robocalls.
• US residents receive an average of 18 spam phone calls per month, although some experts believe the real number could be as high as 31 per month.
• Many phone calls from reputable companies can be mistakenly marked as spam, but 38% of companies have no idea whether they are being marked as “potential fraud” or not, according to Hiya.
• Never provide personal or financial information if you suspect a phone call is a scam. For example, your bank will never ask for these full details over the phone.
• To reduce spam calls and scams, sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers, by law, will need to check this list before calling you.
• Downloading third-party apps like Hiya, Nomorobo or Truecaller can help filter annoying spam calls.
• Try not to share your phone number unless necessary, especially online or with sketchy sources.

CALL

Of course, messaging apps aren’t the only way AI can be used against you.

The US Sun spoke to several cybersecurity experts about ways to expose AI “voice clones” in phone calls.

Criminals can use AI to capture and replicate someone’s voice in a matter of seconds.

Bots often have impeccable spelling and grammar, but clumsy, stiff sentences

Paulo BischoffCybersecurity specialist at Comparitech

And this can be used against you, with crooks pretending to be loved ones or colleagues and urgently demanding money.

One way to avoid getting caught by this scam is to set a “safe word” in advance.

Do this with people close to you and you can use it if you are in a situation where someone is asking you for money over the phone.

Also, be sure to ask for shared personal memories that the person is familiar with – but that’s something a criminal wouldn’t be able to find by searching online.

And be especially cautious if the person is asking for money through a strange method like cryptocurrency or gift cards.