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(InvestigateTV) — It used to be easy to recognize a tech scams – emails had misspellings and poor grammar, calls had blocked numbers and stilted, unnatural voices, and unsolicited texts from unknown senders were a dead giveaways. But now the technology has evolved. “I mean there are a lot of great things about AI, but there are a lot of frightening things when it comes to the ability for someone to get scammed,” said Teresa Murray, a consumer watchdog for US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). Now, when an unknown number flashes on the phone, it’s not automatically suspicious. Murray said that uncertainty is exactly what makes people vulnerable. “Certainly, in an audio, in a phone call now, it is absolutely possible now to have a real-time, two-way conversation that is not the person,” she noted. A new report from PIRG reveals that – despite federal rules meant to limit robocalls – consumers ar… “A.I. allows scams on steroids!” Murray exclaimed. It allows the bad guys to commit more scams, do a better job, be more convincing to get around the roadblocks.” She said AI-related scams now come in many forms – one is audio and visual scams, such as deepfakes. “The ability for a computer, for the software to mimic my voice, your voice, anybody’s voice –based on just a couple of seconds of audio…we’re starting to see it,” she cautioned. “Even in terms of like photos, and even in terms of video.” Another common tactic is text-based scams, including fake job postings shared through emails or messages. Scammers are also using hacked and stolen information combined with AI to make their schemes sound more personal and believable. “The ability of AI to go in and just mush all this information together and immediately know things about you that you had forgotten about yourself!” Murray exclaimed. She urged people to be mindful of what photos and videos they share online, and to always double-check before giving out information. “You have to protect what you can,” she warned. “Not just for your own sake but for the sake of your all ones.” Murray also said if there is a call from someone claiming to be a company, or even a friend or relative, don’t trust the caller ID. If something seems off, hang up and call back using a number known to be real. It could be a deepfake. Submit story tips to our Investigators Share errors or concerns with our Digital Editors Watch full episodes of InvestigateTV+ Subscribe to the InvestigateTV YouTube Channel
