FBI warns: AI technology fueling rise in sophisticated scams

The FBI warns about the growing threat of scams that leverage artificial intelligence technology. According to Bitdefender, cybercriminals increasingly use generative AI to create more believable, harder-to-detect scams.

Generative artificial intelligence, like OpenAI's GPT, enables criminals to create content that can be used for scams quickly. The FBI emphasizes that AI reduces the time and effort needed to deceive victims, making these activities more effective.

Artificial intelligence allows criminals to harness human-developed tools to create new content. This potential also enables corrections and removals of human errors, often aiding fraud detection.

"The FBI is warning the public that criminals exploit generative artificial intelligence (AI) to commit fraud on a larger scale which increases the believability of their schemes," reads the FBI's notification.

Criminals use AI to create realistic profile pictures, identity documents, and sounds that can be used to impersonate public figures. This builds trust with potential victims and makes it more challenging to detect cybercriminals.

Conduct a thorough analysis to recognize content generated by cybercriminals. Look for minor language errors or linguistic calques. With graphics, check for artifacts such as blurred parts of the image, missing or too many fingers, or oddly shaped ears.

Bitdefender recommends introducing a secret word that will serve as a password during communication with close ones. This verifies whether the person on the other end is a family member or an imposter. The company also recommends using tools to detect scams, such as Bitdefender Scamio.

The FBI emphasizes that although AI-generated content is not inherently illegal, it can be used for crimes such as fraud and extortion. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the threats and take appropriate precautions.