ARTIFICIAL intelligence is being used by criminals to trick victims – but there are signs that give them away.
Cybersecurity experts gave The US Sun some tips on how to identify when you’re talking to an AI chatbot and not a real person.
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AI is improving at a breakneck pace, so it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish chatbots from real people.
Experts say criminals can use AI chatbots to easily and convincingly execute scams on multiple victims at once.
This means it’s more important than ever to know if you’re talking to a scam bot.
US Sun spoke with KnowBe4 security awareness advocate Dr. Martin J. Kraemer, who revealed an important question to ask – and why you should look for patterns in conversations.
“Take romance scams for example,” Kraemer said.
“To find out whether you are talking to a bot or a real person, you can (1) ask about recent events, (2) look for repeating patterns, and (3) be aware of any action you are asked to take.
“After all, malicious chat bots don’t want to talk.
“They want you to take action that is beneficial to an attacker, but not to you.
“Be aware that the chat partner is pushing your buttons and manipulating you emotionally.
“This is creating any request to help them out of a seemingly difficult situation that requires financial resources or other favors, and that appears to be getting worse over time.
“Especially when you’re supposedly the only person who can help. Some or all of these statements are true of your chat, so you’re being manipulated.”
Asking for information about recent events is based on the fact that some AI chatbots do not have up-to-date information – because they were trained some time ago.
If the person you are talking to gives a convincing answer to this question, there is no guarantee that you are talking to a human being.
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.
But if the person you’re talking to fails the question, it’s a dead giveaway that they’re a chatbot.
OTHER CLUES TO LOCATE
The US Sun recently revealed some other signs that you’re talking to an AI chatbot.
We spoke to Paul, consumer privacy advocate at Comparitech, who explained that there are three clues to watch out for.
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“Be on the lookout for repetitive responses that seem to lack humor and empathy,” Paul explained to The US Sun.
“Bots often have impeccable spelling and grammar, but clumsy, stiff sentences.
“Consistently fast response times are another sign.”
Generally, it’s important to be wary of also seeing the usual scam warning signs – artificial intelligence chatbot or not.
Be aware that the chat partner is pushing your buttons and manipulating you emotionally.
Dr. Martin J. Kraemer
So if someone on a social media site is urgently asking for money or information, that’s a worrying sign.
It’s especially important to be careful if they request payments using strange methods like cryptocurrency or gift cards.
Remember: be cautious, patient and use common sense – if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
