The ever-advancing use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which empowers machines to emulate human actions, has found applications that range from inventive and contentious to, as consumer experts caution, deceptive.

AI, as it's commonly known, has served students seeking to escape essay writing, aided chess enthusiasts in honing their skills against tireless computer opponents, and assisted retailers in analyzing consumer preferences, offering "personalized" shopping suggestions. Most recently, AI has infiltrated the entertainment industry, with movie and television producers deploying it to replace human actors, leading to strikes and headline news in Hollywood.

However, one aspect receiving inadequate attention, as per Florida's consumer protection agency, is the utilization of AI to gather data and images from social media and other online sources to concoct convincing and personalized scam calls, text messages, and emails.

One instance highlighted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in a recent bulletin is the "grandparent" scam, which has been augmented by technology.

In its earlier version, a scammer would impersonate a family member by addressing the victim as "Grandma" or "Grandpa," often claiming to have a cold to explain a peculiar voice. The caller would then make a desperate plea for financial assistance to resolve a supposed predicament, such as paying bail, fines, or car repair bills following an accident. The victim would be further urged not to disclose this to anyone else.

Now, with the availability of online audio and video clips, fraudsters can clone a family member's voice, making their deception more compelling.

Florida's consumer watchdog agency emphasizes that the best defense against this modern technological twist is awareness and preparedness. It's crucial to encourage family members to secure their social media profiles by setting them to private.

It's also essential not to place unwavering trust in caller ID, as scammers can manipulate the information displayed on your phone's screen to make it appear as though the call is coming from a jail, hospital, police station, or any other location that serves their purposes.

Additional guidelines include:

1. Establish a private password that family members can request when in doubt.

2. Create security questions with answers that cannot be found through internet searches or social media profiles.

3. Maintain composure and follow standard precautions, such as hanging up and contacting the person directly through a known, verified phone number.

4. Be vigilant for hints of a scam, such as incorrect names, mispronunciations, or unfamiliar terms of endearment used by the caller.

The agency highlights that the urgency to act quickly and the insistence on keeping the call a secret are classic signs of a scam. Furthermore, clear instructions on how to transfer funds through methods that are difficult to trace, such as wire transfers, gift cards, or payment apps, are telltale signs of an impending rip-off.

In Conclusion

Taking swift action and reporting fraud can significantly improve your chances of recovering lost funds. If you report the incident before the scammer cashes in, you may be able to cancel the transaction. If you used a credit or debit card, contact your card company or bank and request a "chargeback" to reverse the charge. If you made payment via a gift card, promptly reach out to the issuing company, explain the situation, and inquire about a potential refund. Similarly, if you transferred money through Western Union or Moneygram, reporting the incident promptly could prevent the money from being handed over.