Experts have issued a warning about a rise in AI "voice cloning" scams as Meta announced they're shelving their AI speech tool due to "potentials risks of misuse".
As AI grows in popularity, tools used for scams become easier to access leading to an increase in cybercrime, security experts have said. Voice cloning is "widely available online - and mostly free".
The voice cloning tools help fraudsters leave misleading voicemails and can even change their voices on phone calls. Boffins from vpnoverview.com explained: “The only thing the scammer needs is a short audio clip of your family member's voice, which could easily be accessed through content posted online and by using a voice-cloning program, the clip can be used to sound like a real-life call from a loved one."
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Most recently, Meta announced that they will not be making their new AI speech tool 'Voicebox' publicly available right now due to "potential risks of misuse". The tool, which is still in development, can create a potentially believable chunk of new speech that sounds like whoever was featured in the source clip.
However, Voicebox also looks like a faster and more economical way to create copycat "deepfake" dialogue. According to the security experts, a recent survey of 7,000 people revealed that 70 per cent may not be able to tell the difference between a cloned voice and the real thing.
The security experts have shared some tips on how to spot an AI voice cloning scam, and what to do if you do become a victim to one.
Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers
They recommend avoiding answering calls from unknown numbers. “With scammers, sometimes all it takes is you picking up the phone and saying a few words for fraud to happen. Even saying “hello and your name” could help scammers grab a voiceprint and use that to authenticate payments with a financial institution or to authorize a transaction.
“Also, if you do answer an unknown call and the caller or recording asks you to select a button or number to stop receiving the calls, you should just hang up. This is a common trick used to identify potential targets.
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Avoid posting your number online
“To avoid being picked out as a potential victim, try to avoid posting your phone number online or on any social media platform. Also try to suggest family members and friends to do the same.
Be extremely cautious if asked to wire money
“If you are ever asked for money through channels that are hard to trace such as prepaid cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrencies, be extremely cautious and always verify the recipient’s identity.
Hang up and redial
“To determine if a caller is impersonating a loved one, hang up and redial the persons actual phone number. As the phone call will be received from an unknown number, the first way to rule out whether it legit or not is to make direct contact with the caller.
Verify by contacting the person on social media
“Using social media could be a way of contacting the person to be sure it is them trying to reach out and verify the story. If they don’t have any recollection of calling you, continue to decline any phone calls.
Establish a 'safe word' with loved ones
“As these scams continue to rise, it is recommended to establish a unique ‘safeword’ with loved ones, as this is a great way to distinguish what is a real emergency and what is a scam.
When it comes to other types of scam, advice and information for all manners of cyber-crime and fraud can be found on the Garda website.
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