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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Shane Hickey

‘We detected unusual activity’: the scam that uses AI to exploit your holiday photos

Porto skyline from across the Douro River
Common AI tools can accurately detect where a photo was taken more than 90% of the time. Photograph: Sean Pavone/Alamy

You are on a short break in Porto and post some pictures of your family on Instagram or Facebook. With a small section of the Douro river in the background, you think it could have been taken anywhere.

A few days later, you get a text saying that your card was compromised. “We detected unusual activity while you were travelling in Porto – please verify immediately,” says the message.

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