IN the recent global uptrend, scammers are going to great heights to exploit artificial intelligence (AI) to extort individuals.
A Canadian couple, Ruth Card, 73, and her husband Greg Grace, experienced this when they received a call from someone they mistook for their grandson.
According to media reports, the elderly couple in Saskatchewan, Canada, hurried to a bank when they overheard their “grandson’s” cries for assistance on the phone.
The con artists claimed to be their grandson and informed Ruth that he was in jail without a wallet or phone. He further emphasised how badly he needed money to pay bail. Then, the couple went to a bank and withdrew their daily limit, which was CAD3,000 (about RM9,800), though they still required additional funds.
Although the precise amount of what they claimed “grandson” requested was unknown, it exceeded their daily allowance. As a result, the couple hurried to a different bank to withdraw extra cash.
Thankfully, when the couple alerted the bank manager about the incident at the second location, the manager detected some suspicious activity and advised them that a former client had gone through a similar circumstance.
It turns out that a scammer placed the call using an AI voiceover programme to sound like Ruth and Greg’s grandson.
Thanks to the bank manager, Ruth and her husband narrowly avoided a significant financial swindle, but it appears that scammers exploiting artificial intelligence and technology are still a matter for concern.
Scammers target people of different ages, socioeconomic origins, and income levels. To do your part in the battle against cybercrime, you must take responsibility and accountability.
Remember only to provide personal information and data after careful consideration.
