(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is issuing a new, AI-related warning.
He said that scammers are potentially using Artificial Intelligence to mimic the voice of a loved one, so it sounds like the person is calling seeking help.
The technology allows scammers to use snippets of audio, which can be found through videos posted to social media accounts, to clone voices for scam calls.
The intention of this scam is to convince potential target to send a payment or share personal information.
“These criminals are very good and convincing at what they do. Their goal is to catch you off guard, scare you into sending payment and disappear before you realize what happened,” Raoul said.
“Getting a call from what sounds like a family member in distress is upsetting, but you may not be able to trust the identity of the voice on the line. Take a deep breath, slow down and take steps to confirm the identity of the caller, especially if they are pushing you to send a payment or disclose personal information.”
He has some tips that can prevent people from becoming victims.
- Scammers may send an unsolicited email or text message, call people, or knock on their door. Be wary if someone you didn’t contact is reaching out to sell you something or asking for personal information.
- Scammers pressure people to act quickly. Their goal is to get you to send payment before you get a chance to think about it or discuss it with a trusted family member or friend.
-Scammers want personal information, so they may claim to be the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Postal Service, your electric provider, a bank, or anyone you might trust. If you are a customer, these entities already have your information and don’t need you to provide it. If they are legitimate, they have specific and familiar ways to contact you or request payment.
-Scammers ask for payment in unusual ways. They may ask you to buy a gift card and read the numbers, wire money, set up a cryptocurrency account, or use a peer-to-peer app to send money directly to them.
While Raoul’s office has not received direct reports of AI scams targeting Illinois residents, the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning last year about voice-cloning scams, and an executive order on AI, issued by President Joe Biden last October, notes the potential use of the technology to commit fraud.
Raoul encourages fraud victims to file a complaint on the Attorney General’s website.
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