Tagged: AI Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Geebo 9:00 am on November 25, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, AI scams, , , ,   

    AI Is Fueling the Next Big Scams 

    AI Is Fueling the Next Big Scams

    By Greg Collier

    Online scammer networks are becoming more sophisticated, more automated, and more relentless. Even the most tech-savvy people can fall victim. And as Artificial Intelligence tools grow more powerful, criminals are using them to deceive, impersonate, and infiltrate in ways that were impossible just a few years ago.

    California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) is warning that AI-assisted scams are now spreading across every corner of the digital world. From deepfake impersonations to AI-generated romance profiles, scammers are weaponizing technology to steal money, identities, and trust.

    This guide breaks down the most common AI-powered scams, the red flags to look for, and the steps you can take to protect yourself.

    How AI Is Supercharging Scams

    Scammers used to rely on typos, bad grammar, and clumsy impersonations. Not anymore. AI tools let criminals:

    • Clone voices from just a few seconds of audio
    • Create photorealistic fake images and videos
    • Generate persuasive investment pitches
    • Build entire networks of fake followers and accounts
    • Automate malware attacks at scale

    The result: scams that look, sound, and feel real—until it’s too late.

    AI Scams You Need to Know About

    Imposter Deepfakes

    AI systems compile images from countless databases to create fake photos or videos of real people. These deepfakes may use the face or voice of someone you trust—a friend, family member, celebrity, or public figure—to deliver a message that seems credible.

    Romance Scams

    With AI-generated profile pictures, bios, and “perfect match” personality traits, scammers build fake relationships on dating apps and social platforms. The emotional connection feels genuine, but the person isn’t real.

    Grandparent or Relative Scams

    AI voice cloning is being used to mimic the voice of a grandchild or family member in distress. The caller claims to be in trouble and urgently needs money. A simple family password—known only to your household—can help verify real emergencies.

    Finfluencers

    Some social media investment influencers appear successful but have no real financial credentials. AI tools help them fabricate followers, engagement, and even fake performance screenshots to sell risky or nonexistent crypto schemes.

    Automated Attacks

    AI-generated malware can slip past antivirus software, steal login credentials, and harvest financial data from your device. Experts recommend two-factor authentication on all accounts and frequent password updates.

    Classic Investment Red Flags Still Apply

    Even with new technology, the fundamentals of scam detection remain the same:

    • Promises of “zero risk”
    • High-pressure tactics urging you to invest immediately
    • Investment performance that looks unrealistically perfect

    If it sounds too good to be true, AI can make it look convincing—but it still isn’t real.

    New Red Flags Unique to AI Scams

    • Fake AI Investment Platforms
      Companies or trading sites that claim to use AI to generate profit are often running fabricated operations. Your account may show impressive gains, but no real trading occurs. When you attempt to withdraw, the platform disappears along with your money. These schemes are especially common in crypto markets.
    • AI-Generated News Articles
      Scammers create professional-looking articles to support false investment claims. Repeated exposure to this content can make the narrative seem legitimate, encouraging victims to “buy in” based on manufactured credibility.
    • Fake Social Media Accounts
      Investment pitches shared online may be surrounded by AI-generated followers, cloned profiles, or bot accounts to simulate popularity and trust. Be cautious of opportunities that offer commissions for recruiting new investors, and always research the individual or company independently.

    Protect Yourself Before You Get Scammed

    • Slow down and verify unexpected calls, messages, or investment tips.
    • Use a family password for emergency calls.
    • Turn on two-factor authentication on all accounts.
    • Update your passwords regularly.
    • Research anyone offering financial advice—especially if they appear only on social media.
    • Confirm that investment companies are properly registered and licensed.

    Final Thoughts

    AI is transforming the way scammers operate, making their tactics faster, more convincing, and harder to detect. But the same rule still applies: urgency is the enemy of safety. Take a moment to verify, research, or ask questions before you respond.

    A quick pause could be the difference between keeping your money and losing it to a machine-powered scam.

    Further Reading

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on November 24, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , , , , tragedy   

    AI Charity Scams Exploiting Tragedy 

    By Greg Collier

    Every disaster sparks generosity, and fraudsters are now using AI to cash in on it.

    A Cause You Care About and a Lie You Never Saw Coming:

    When a wildfire, earthquake, or school tragedy hits, people instinctively want to help. Within hours, social media floods with donation links, emotional photos, and urgent calls to “act now.” But not all of them are real.

    Investigators are warning of a sharp rise in AI-generated charity scams, where fraudsters use fake photos, cloned victim stories, and synthetic testimonials to create convincing donation pages that exploit public empathy.

    According to the Federal Trade Commission, charity-related scams surged by 68% in 2025, with many traced to fraudulent GoFundMe pages, cloned nonprofit websites, and even deepfake videos of “aid workers” asking for funds.

    What’s Going On:

    1. A tragedy trends online. Within minutes, scammers generate AI-created images of crying children, destroyed homes, or hospital scenes.
    2. Fake donation pages go live. These pages use realistic nonprofit branding or names like “United Earth Relief” or “KidsFirst Global,” none of which actually exist.
    3. Emotion and urgency drive action. People donate small amounts ($10–$50), which quickly add up to millions across multiple fake campaigns.
    4. Funds disappear. The scammers close the page within 72 hours and move the money through cryptocurrency or international accounts.
    5. Reputational fallout. Real charities suffer when donors stop trusting online fundraising entirely.

    Some fraudsters are even using AI voice cloning to pose as known charity representatives or local news anchors, giving “updates” on aid efforts that never happened.

    Why It Works:

    • Emotional manipulation: Disasters evoke strong empathy and urgency—people donate before verifying.
    • AI realism: Synthetic photos and deepfake videos are now indistinguishable from real footage.
    • Small donation psychology: Scammers keep requests low ($5–$25) to avoid suspicion.
    • Platform trust: Many assume popular crowdfunding sites fully verify campaigns, which isn’t always true.
    • Instant payment tools: Apps like Cash App, Venmo, and crypto wallets make donations fast and irreversible.

    Red Flags:

    • Donation links shared through new or unverified accounts that just joined social platforms.
    • Fundraiser names that sound generic or global, rather than tied to a local group.
    • Emotional imagery that feels overly dramatic or AI-rendered (too perfect lighting, distorted hands, repeated faces).
    • No clear information about how the funds will be used or who runs the campaign.
    • Requests for cryptocurrency, gift cards, or direct transfers instead of secure charity processors.

    Quick Tip: Before donating, look up the charity’s name at CharityNavigator.org or through the IRS nonprofit registry. If you can’t find them, they’re not real.

    What You Can Do:

    • Give through known organizations. Stick with the Red Cross, UNICEF, or established local groups.
    • Check the domain name. Real charities rarely use domains like “.co” or “.shop.”
    • Don’t rely on photos alone. AI can fabricate entire disaster scenes; check for news coverage or official confirmation.
    • Be skeptical of “viral” fundraisers. Especially if they spread rapidly on TikTok, Telegram, or Facebook within hours of a tragedy.
    • Report fake fundraisers. Use in-app reporting tools or notify the FTC and the platform hosting the campaign.

    If You’ve Been Targeted:

    1. Contact your bank or card provider to dispute unauthorized donations.
    2. Report the page to the hosting platform (GoFundMe, PayPal Giving, etc.).
    3. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
    4. Post a warning in community forums or local groups to alert others.
    5. Keep documentation (links, screenshots, receipts)—it helps authorities trace funds.

    Final Thoughts:

    AI isn’t just transforming technology; it’s reshaping fraud. Scammers no longer need real victims to profit from tragedy; they can create them out of pixels and prompts.

    In the chaos of a crisis, the best gift you can give is a moment of pause. Verify before you give. Real aid starts with real accountability.

    Further Reading:

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on November 19, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , ,   

    The Data You Forgot Is the Data AI Remembers 

    By Greg Collier

    Your photos, posts, and even private documents may already live inside an AI model—not stolen by hackers, but scraped by “innovation.”

    The Internet Never Forgets—Especially AI:

    You post a photo of your dog. You upload a résumé. You share a few opinions on social media. Months later, you see a new AI tool that seems to know you—your writing tone, your job title, even your vacation spot.

    That’s no coincidence.

    Researchers are now warning that AI training datasets—the enormous data collections used to “teach” models how to generate text and images—are riddled with personal content scraped from the public web. Your name, photos, social posts, health discussions, résumé data, and family info could be among them.

    And unlike a data breach, this isn’t theft in the traditional sense—it’s collection without consent. Once it’s in the model, it’s almost impossible to remove.

    What’s Going On:

    AI companies use massive web-scraping tools to feed data into their models. These tools collect everything from open websites and blogs to academic papers, code repositories, and social media posts. But recent investigations revealed that these datasets often include:

    • Personal documents from cloud-based PDF links and résumé databases.
    • Photos and addresses from real estate sites, genealogy pages, and social networks.
    • Health, legal, and financial records that were cached by search engines years ago.
    • Private messages that were never meant to be indexed but became public through broken permissions.

    A single AI model might be trained on trillions of words and billions of images, often gathered from sources that individuals believed were private or expired.

    Once that data is used for training, it becomes embedded in the model’s neural weights—meaning future AI systems can reproduce fragments of your writing, code, or identity without ever accessing the source again.

    That’s the terrifying part: the leak isn’t a single event. It’s permanent replication.

    Why It’s So Dangerous:

    • No oversight: Most data scraping for AI happens outside traditional privacy laws. There’s no clear consent, no opt-out, and no transparency.
    • Impossible recall: Once data trains a model, it can’t simply be “deleted.” Removing it requires retraining from scratch—a process companies rarely perform.
    • Synthetic identity risk: Scammers can use AI systems trained on real people’s information to generate convincing impersonations, fake résumés, or fraudulent documents.
    • Deep profiling: AI models can infer missing details (age, income, habits) based on what they already know about you.
    • Corporate resale: Some AI vendors quietly sell or license models trained on public data to third parties, spreading your information even further.

    A 2025 study by the University of Toronto found that 72% of open-source AI datasets contained personal identifiers, including emails, phone numbers, and partial credit card data.

    Real-World Consequences:

    • Re-identification attacks: Security researchers have demonstrated that they can prompt AI models to output fragments of original documents—including medical transcripts and legal filings.
    • Voice and likeness cloning: Models trained on YouTube or podcast audio can reproduce a person’s speech patterns within seconds.
    • Phishing precision: Fraudsters use leaked data from AI training sets to craft hyper-personalized scams that mention real details about a victim’s life.
    • Corporate espionage: Internal business documents, scraped from unsecured cloud links, have surfaced in public datasets used by AI startups.

    In short, the internet’s old rule—“Once it’s online, it’s forever”—just evolved into “Once it’s trained, it’s everywhere.”

    Red Flags:

    • AI chatbots or image tools generate content that includes names, places, or images you recognize from your own life.
    • You see references to deleted or private material in AI-generated text.
    • Unknown accounts start using your likeness or writing style for content creation.
    • You receive “hyper-specific” phishing emails mentioning old information you once posted online.

    Quick Tip: If you’ve ever uploaded a résumé, personal essay, or family blog, assume it could have been indexed by AI crawlers. Regularly check what’s visible through search engines and remove outdated or sensitive posts.

    What You Can Do:

    • Limit exposure: Review what’s public on LinkedIn, Facebook, and old blogs. Delete or privatize posts you no longer want online.
    • Use “robots.txt” and privacy settings: These can block crawlers from indexing your content—it won’t erase what’s already scraped, but it stops future harvesting.
    • Opt-out of data brokers: Many sites (Spokeo, PeopleFinder, Intelius) sell personal info that ends up in AI datasets.
    • Support privacy-centric AI tools: Favor companies that publicly disclose training sources and allow data removal requests.
    • Treat data sharing like identity sharing: Every upload, caption, or bio adds to a digital fingerprint that AI can replicate.

    If You’ve Been Targeted:

    1. Search your name and key phrases from private documents to see if they appear online.
    2. File a takedown request with Google or the website hosting your data.
    3. If you suspect your likeness or writing is being used commercially, document examples and contact an intellectual-property attorney.
    4. Report data leaks to the FTC or your country’s data-protection authority.
    5. Consider using identity-protection monitoring services that scan for AI-generated profiles of you or your business.

    Final Thoughts:

    The most dangerous data leak isn’t the one that happens overnight—it’s the one that happens quietly, at scale, in the name of “progress.”

    AI training data leaks represent a new era of privacy risk. Instead of stealing your identity once, machines now learn it forever.

    Until global regulations catch up, your best protection is awareness. Treat every upload, every public résumé, and every online comment like a permanent record—because, for AI, that’s exactly what it is.

    Further Reading:

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on November 17, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , , , ,   

    The Fake Kidnapping Scam Targeting Parents 

    The Fake Kidnapping Scam Targeting Parents

    By Greg Collier

    Parents across the country are being targeted by voice-cloned “kidnapping” calls designed to trigger instant fear and fast payments. Here’s how the new AI-powered scam works—and what to do if it happens to you.

    A Call No Parent Wants to Get:

    Imagine this. Your phone rings, and the caller ID shows your child’s name. You answer—and hear your child sobbing, screaming, or begging for help. A voice comes on claiming to have kidnapped them, demanding money immediately via Zelle, Venmo, or wire transfer.

    Your heart stops. The voice sounds exactly like your child’s. The caller says not to hang up or contact anyone. In those few seconds, logic vanishes, replaced by pure panic.

    But here’s the truth: your child was never in danger. The voice wasn’t real. It was cloned using publicly available audio and AI software.

    Police across multiple states, including Arizona, Nevada, and Texas, are now warning families about this “AI kidnapping scam,” where fraudsters use voice cloning to extort terrified parents.

    What’s Going On:

    1. Data Gathering: Scammers find personal information about a child through social media, school websites, sports team pages, or even public posts from parents.
    2. Voice Capture: Using short video clips, livestreams, or TikTok audio, they feed the voice into an AI generator that can recreate it almost perfectly.
    3. The Setup: They spoof the caller ID to match the child’s number, then place a call claiming the child has been kidnapped or injured.
    4. Emotional Control: They play or generate a fake voice crying or pleading, then demand a ransom to “release” the child.
    5. Payment Pressure: Victims are told to stay on the line and not contact police while sending the money immediately.

    In 2025, the FBI and several state agencies have seen a surge in reports of this scam, often targeting parents of teens active on social media.

    Why It Works:

    • Emotion Over Logic: Parents act on instinct. Scammers rely on panic, not reason.
    • Familiar Voices: AI cloning can now reproduce tone, pitch, and background noise so convincingly that even close family members are fooled.
    • Instant Access: With the rise of short-form videos, most children’s voices are publicly available online, giving scammers all the data they need.
    • Speed of Payment: Apps like Venmo and Zelle allow instant transfers, which are almost impossible to recover once sent.

    Red Flags:

    • A call claiming a child has been kidnapped, injured, or detained—but demanding immediate payment and warning you not to contact police.
    • A voice that sounds slightly off, robotic, or unusually distorted.
    • Caller IDs that appear correct but are spoofed.
    • Ransom demands through digital payment apps or cryptocurrency.
    • Calls that cut out when you ask for details, such as the child’s location or who you’re speaking to.

    Quick Tip: If you get one of these calls, pause and verify. Text or call your child or their friends from another phone, or check their location through a shared device. Most parents discover within seconds that their child is perfectly safe.

    What You Can Do:

    • Create a Family Code Word: Every family member should know a secret word or phrase that can be used to confirm authenticity in an emergency.
    • Limit Voice Exposure: Remind kids to keep TikToks, YouTube videos, and livestreams private or friends-only.
    • Avoid Oversharing: Don’t post schedules, school names, or travel plans online.
    • Teach Calm Verification: Explain to older children and caregivers how to handle an emergency call safely.
    • Report Calls: Contact law enforcement immediately, even if the call turns out to be fake.

    If You’ve Been Targeted:

    1. Hang up or disconnect safely once you realize it’s a scam.
    2. Call or message your child directly to confirm their safety.
    3. Report the incident to your local police and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov).
    4. Document the phone number, time, and any details about the call.
    5. Warn your community through parent groups or school networks.

    Final Thoughts:

    The AI kidnapping scam is one of the most terrifying frauds to emerge in recent years because it hijacks the most powerful human instinct: the urge to protect your child.

    Technology now allows scammers to create synthetic voices that sound heartbreakingly real, but awareness and a calm response are the best weapons.

    Families who prepare ahead of time—with code words, communication plans, and digital privacy habits—can take back control from fear and keep scammers from profiting off panic.

    Further Reading:

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 30, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , AI, , , ,   

    The AI Lottery Scam Sweeping America 

    By Greg Collier

    A cheerful voice calls to say you’ve won millions. It sounds real—too real. But the “agent” on the line isn’t human at all. It’s an AI-generated voice, part of a nationwide surge in lottery scams that have cost Americans tens of millions of dollars.

    What’s Going On:

    Across the U.S., a dangerous new lottery scam is spreading—and it’s powered by artificial intelligence. According to a new study from Vegas Insider, Americans have lost tens of millions of dollars to fake lottery and sweepstakes winnings since 2020, with some of the highest losses reported in Ohio, California, Florida, and Texas. The scam’s secret weapon? AI-generated voices that sound shockingly real.

    How the Scam Works:

    Scammers are using AI voice cloning tools to call or message unsuspecting people, claiming they’ve won a massive jackpot. The calls often appear to come from a legitimate or local number, making them hard to ignore. Victims are told to pay small “processing fees” or taxes to collect their winnings—but there’s no prize waiting, only financial loss and stolen personal data.

    Las Vegas insiders say AI-driven scams jumped 148% in just one year, as fraudsters adopted synthetic voices to impersonate officials, relatives, or even well-known lottery representatives. They’re also hitting inboxes and social media, sending fake “winner” messages that look and sound alarmingly authentic.

    Why It’s Effective:

    AI has taken the classic “you’ve won the lottery” scam and given it a terrifying upgrade. These cloned voices mimic accents, tones, and phrases that sound local and trustworthy. When caller ID shows your area code—or even your friend’s number—it’s easy to drop your guard. Scammers know that emotion and urgency can override reason, especially when “winning” is on the line.

    Red Flags:

    • No legitimate lottery will call, text, or email to tell you you’ve won.
    • You’ll never be asked to pay money or share banking details to collect a prize.
    • All real winnings must be claimed in person or through official state channels with a verified ticket.

    Lottery officials nationwide stress one simple truth: if you didn’t enter a drawing, you didn’t win.

    What to Do:

    If you get a call, email, or social message claiming you’ve hit the jackpot:

    • Hang up or delete it immediately.
    • Report it to your state lottery office, your Attorney General’s consumer protection division, or the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
    • Warn family members—especially older relatives—who are most often targeted.

    Final Thoughts:

    AI technology has made scams smarter, faster, and harder to detect—but it hasn’t changed one truth: if it sounds too good to be true, it is. The same tools that can create lifelike voices and deepfake videos are now being weaponized to exploit trust. Staying informed is your best defense. Stay skeptical, stay alert, and remember—the only people winning in these scams are the ones running them.

    Have you been contacted by a fake lottery or prize scam? Share your story below—or send this post to someone who loves to play the lottery. Awareness is the jackpot that scammers can’t steal.

    Further Reading:

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 20, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , , , ,   

    AI Is Calling, But It’s Not Who You Think 

    By Greg Collier

    A phone rings with an unfamiliar number while an AI waveform hovers behind, symbolizing how technology cloaks modern impersonation scams.

    Picture this: you get a call, and it’s your boss’s voice asking for a quick favor, a wire transfer to a vendor, or a prepaid card code “for the conference.” It sounds exactly like their tone, pace, and even background noise. But that voice? It’s not real.

    AI-generated voice cloning is fueling a wave of impersonation scams. And as voice, image, and chat synthesis tools become more advanced, the line between real and fake is disappearing.

    What’s Going On?:

    Fraudsters are now combining data from social media with voice samples from YouTube, voicemail greetings, or even podcasts. Using consumer-grade AI tools, they replicate voices with uncanny accuracy.

    They then use these synthetic voices to:

    • Impersonate company leaders or HR representatives.
    • Call family members with “emergencies.”
    • Trick users into authorizing transactions or revealing codes.

    It’s a high-tech twist on old-fashioned deception. Google, PayPal, and cybersecurity experts are warning that deepfake-driven scams will only increase through 2026.​

    Why It’s Effective:

    This scam works because it blends psychological urgency with technological familiarity. When “someone you trust” calls asking for help, most people act before thinking.

    Add to that how AI-generated voices now mimic emotional tone, stress, confidence, and familiarity, and even seasoned professionals fall for it.

    Red Flags:

    • Here’s what to look (and listen) for:
    • A call or voicemail that sounds slightly robotic or “too perfect.”
    • Sudden, urgent money or password requests from known contacts.
    • Unusual grammar or tone in follow-up messages.
    • Inconsistencies between the voice message and typical company protocols.

    Pause before panic. If a voice message feels “off,” verify independently with the real person using a saved contact number, not the one in the message.

    What You Can Do:

    • Verify before you act. Hang up and call back using an official phone number.
    • Establish a “family or team password.” A simple phrase everyone knows can verify real emergencies.
    • Don’t rely on caller ID. Scammers can spoof names and organizations.
    • Educate your circle. The best defense is awareness—share updates about new scam tactics.
    • Secure your data. Limit the amount of voice or video content you share publicly.

    Organizations like Google and the FTC now recommend using passkeys, two-factor verification, and scam-spotting games to build intuition against fake communications.​

    If You’ve Been Targeted:

    • Cut off contact immediately. Do not reply, click, or engage further.
    • Report the incident to your bank, employer, or relevant platform.
    • File a complaint with the FTC or FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
    • Change your passwords and enable multifactor authentication on critical accounts.
    • Freeze your credit through major reporting agencies if personal data was compromised.

    AI is transforming how scammers operate, but awareness and calm action can short-circuit their success. Most scams thrive on confusion and pressure. If you slow down, verify, and stay informed, you take away their greatest weapon.

    Seen or heard something suspicious? Share this post with someone who might be vulnerable or join the conversation: how would you verify a voice you thought you knew?

    Further Reading:

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 3, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , , ,   

    AI Voice Fuels Virtual Kidnap Plot of Teen 

    AI Voice Fuels Virtual Kidnap Plot

    By Greg Collier

    A family in Buffalo, New York, was recently targeted in a terrifying scam that began with a phone call from an unfamiliar number. On the line was what sounded like the sobbing voice of a teenage boy, pleading for help. The caller then claimed the boy had stumbled upon a dangerous situation and that his life was at risk if the family contacted the authorities.

    In an attempt to make the threat more convincing, the supposed victim’s voice declared that a friend was dead. That detail likely intensified the panic and added emotional weight to the situation, creating even greater pressure to act before pausing to verify the facts.

    While the voice on the line appeared to match the teenager’s, relatives acted quickly to confirm his whereabouts. They checked his phone location and contacted friends who were with him at a local football game. After confirming that he was safe, the caller escalated demands for thousands of dollars in exchange for the teenager’s return. The family ultimately determined the audio was a fabrication engineered to provoke fear and extract money.

    This scheme is known as the virtual kidnapping scam, and the Buffalo incident highlights its modern evolution. Law enforcement and consumer protection agencies have reported a rise in these incidents in recent years. Some of the more convincing cases now incorporate synthetic audio produced with artificial intelligence. Criminals frequently harvest voice samples from publicly posted videos, voice messages, and other social media content to train AI tools that can mimic a loved one’s voice. Other schemes require no sophisticated technology at all and rely instead on pressure tactics and background sounds that suggest urgency. Both approaches exploit emotional vulnerability and the instinct to act quickly when a family member appears to be in danger.

    The narrative presented in this case involved a supposed drug deal that required silencing a witness. Scenarios like that are far more common in fiction than in real life. Local drug activity usually involves low-level sales of marijuana or other minor substances, not organized plots to eliminate bystanders. Scammers craft these kinds of dramatic stories because they sound believable in the moment and increase the pressure on the victim to comply.

    Because these scams play on fear, verification is essential. Families can reduce their risk by establishing simple, prearranged measures that only they know. A short, memorable code word that is used in authentic emergencies is one practical precaution. If a caller claims a family member is being held or harmed, asking for the code word and independently confirming the person’s location can quickly expose fraud. Reporting the call to local law enforcement and preserving call records will help investigators and may prevent others from becoming victims.

    The incident in Buffalo serves as a reminder that technology can magnify age-old criminal tactics. Virtual kidnappings represent an alarming fusion of traditional extortion and modern audio manipulation. Awareness, verification, and basic household protocols can blunt the effect of the scam and give families time to respond calmly and effectively.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 29, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , ,   

    AI Phone Scam Preys on Parental Fear 

    By Greg Collier

    Scammers continue to evolve their tactics, and families in Idaho are now being targeted by a scheme designed to generate panic. Boise Police are alerting the public about phone calls in which fraudsters pretend to be medical professionals, claiming that a child has been injured. The calls often include background noise meant to simulate distress and may use artificial intelligence to enhance the deception.

    Authorities describe this as a variation of the family emergency scam, where criminals exploit parental fears to push victims into quick decisions. These callers may research their targets in advance, sometimes knowing a child’s name or school, which makes the claim appear more convincing. By creating a sense of urgency, they aim to pressure parents into sending money immediately.

    One factor that makes this scam particularly troubling is the role of technology. Criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to generate convincing voices, sometimes even imitating the sound of a family member. This capability makes it harder for victims to recognize the deception, especially in moments of panic. The sophistication of these tools allows scammers to bypass many of the traditional warning signs people were once told to look for.

    Investigators emphasize the importance of preparation and awareness as defenses against these manipulations. Families are encouraged to consider strategies such as creating unique identifiers that can verify a caller’s identity. Police also advise that pausing, questioning, and carefully assessing any suspicious call can prevent costly mistakes. The key factor in these scams is fear, and resisting that initial emotional reaction can often be enough to stop the fraud in its tracks.

    Authorities further recommend that anyone targeted by a suspicious call report the incident, even if no money was lost. Contacting local law enforcement and filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission provides investigators with valuable information and helps strengthen public awareness of ongoing threats.

    Boise Police are urging parents to remain vigilant and to treat any unexpected phone call about a family emergency with caution. By planning ahead, staying alert to new forms of deception, and reporting attempted fraud, families can reduce their risk of becoming the next victims.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 20, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , , ,   

    AI Romance Scam Costs Senior $47K 

    By Greg Collier

    A Florida resident recently fell victim to a romance scam that highlights how criminals continue to exploit both technology and human emotion to steal money.

    What began as a simple Facebook friend request from someone claiming to be an interior decorator quickly escalated into an elaborate scheme. The relationship was fostered through frequent online conversations, phone calls, and even video chats, which were later revealed to have been AI-generated. The scammer eventually fabricated a story about traveling overseas for work and needing money for documentation. Trusting the story, the victim sent thousands of dollars, first through traditional transfers and later through cryptocurrency, ultimately losing nearly $50,000.

    When the financial demands became more frequent and severe, the case was turned over to local authorities. Investigators traced the activity not to the United States, as the scammer had claimed, but overseas, making recovery of the funds unlikely.

    The toll of these scams is not only financial but also deeply emotional. Many victims struggle with feelings of shame, betrayal, and depression after realizing they were manipulated. Experts warn that this combination of financial and psychological harm is why romance scams are among the most devastating forms of fraud.

    One reason scammers push for payment through cryptocurrency is that digital transactions are difficult to trace and nearly impossible to reverse once completed. Unlike bank transfers, where investigators may be able to follow the money, cryptocurrency allows criminals to move funds quickly through anonymous wallets.

    These scams also rely on the careful recycling of fake identities. Criminals frequently use stolen photographs from social media, professional sites, or modeling portfolios to create convincing personas. The same fictitious character can appear on multiple platforms at once, luring several victims simultaneously.

    Scammers often pose as successful businesspeople with international ties, which gives credibility to requests for money tied to supposed overseas projects. This narrative can make fabricated expenses like travel, customs paperwork, or business emergencies sound more believable.

    Law enforcement agencies caution that these schemes are becoming more advanced, with scammers now deploying artificial intelligence to create convincing fake personas. Older adults are often targeted because of loneliness or vulnerability, and once money is transferred through cryptocurrency or wire services, it is rarely recovered.

    Authorities stress the importance of vigilance when forming online relationships. Verifying identities, avoiding financial transactions with people only known online, and seeking input from trusted friends or family can help prevent fraud. Victims are encouraged to report these crimes to federal agencies so investigators can track patterns and attempt to disrupt organized networks behind them.

    Romance scams remain a serious and growing problem, and cases like this one serve as a reminder of the importance of caution when personal and financial trust is built online.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 18, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: AI, , , Swatting,   

    Scam Call Sparks SWAT Standoff 

    By Greg Collier

    An incident in Austin, Texas, this week highlighted the growing sophistication of scam calls that can both frighten families and divert police resources.

    Two sisters were targeted in what authorities believe may have been either a swatting attempt or a complex scam. One received a call that appeared to come from her sibling’s phone number. On the line, however, was a man claiming to have abducted her sister. The caller threatened violence if immediate action was not taken, creating a situation designed to provoke panic.

    Alarmed, the woman contacted 911. Within minutes, the Austin Police Department’s SWAT team responded to the address where her sister lived. Officers arrived prepared for a potential hostage situation, only to quickly determine that no threat existed. Authorities confirmed the call was a hoax and are investigating whether it was part of a broader scam operation.

    The situation fits a pattern known as a “virtual kidnapping.” In these scams, criminals falsely claim to have abducted a loved one in order to demand money or force compliance. Technology makes these schemes more convincing, with scammers now able to spoof caller IDs and even use artificial intelligence to mimic the voices of family members. By combining threats with what appears to be proof that a relative is in distress, the calls can feel terrifyingly real.

    Experts also warn that swatting calls, whether financially motivated or not, carry serious risks. Across the country, there have been incidents where false reports led to armed police responses that resulted in injuries and even deaths. By convincing authorities that a violent crime is underway, callers not only terrorize their victims but also put residents and officers in immediate danger.

    Authorities recommend that residents protect themselves by setting up family code words, avoiding oversharing personal information on social media, and remaining calm if they receive such a call. They stress that legitimate emergencies will never require immediate payments or secrecy and that anyone who receives a threatening or urgent call should contact police immediately.

    While this incident ended without injury, it underscores the risks posed by these schemes. In addition to terrifying individuals, such calls draw heavily on emergency resources. The Austin case serves as a reminder that scammers are increasingly blending old tactics with new technology to manipulate their targets.

     

← Older posts

c
Compose new post
j
Next post/Next comment
k
Previous post/Previous comment
r
Reply
e
Edit
o
Show/Hide comments
t
Go to top
l
Go to login
h
Show/Hide help
shift + esc
Cancel