These are dangerous and sophisticated scams designed to fool your better judgment, drain your bank accounts, wreak havoc on your friends, and manipulate your reputation. Social engineering fraud (a type of fraud used by criminals to exploit an individual’s trust to obtain money, confidential information, or both) has become more sophisticated with the rise of artificial intelligence.
I am passionate about protecting your privacy and security. I often hear people say, “Why should I care? I would never fall for a scam like this.” Guess again.
hitherto popular Phishing scam Scammers usually call innocent people, claim to be from a company, and convince them that they owe money, such as a bill. To combat this, brands have tried to protect their customers by saying, “They never call back.” However, with OpenAI’s recent announcement of voice imitation tools, we are entering a new era of social engineering fraud.
We spoke to Tom Tovar, CEO of Appdome, a cybersecurity company specializing in securing mobile apps. He reveals the disturbing truth about social engineering scams and warns that it’s not just about being aware of them, it’s about being prepared. The time to change our thinking is now. Otherwise, you risk becoming the next victim of the ever-evolving digital fraud game.
Artificial intelligence illustration (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
How to spot social engineering scams
In a world of complex cybersecurity threats, social engineering scams have great impact by manipulating human instincts and emotions. According to Tovar, “Social engineering scams exploit everyday human fears, insecurities, and doubts to gain access to protected accounts, information, resources, payments, and more. They exploit commercial expectations, business processes, and psychological tactics to trick humans into engaging in fraudulent activities.”
What is artificial intelligence (AI)?
![social media scheme 2](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/05/1200/675/2-How-to-protect-yourself-from-the-latest-social-engineering-schemes.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Artificial intelligence diagram on data (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
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What are some of the latest social engineering scams?
In these scams, fraudsters impersonate employees of banks, financial institutions, or government agencies in order to gain the trust of their targets. Another social engineering scam may look like a holiday gift from a close friend, but instead it’s a trick to attract users. They use this trust to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information or making financial transactions favorable to scammers.
“In these attacks, the attacker needs to get the user to interact, so they can send the victim a very convincing text message that pretends to be from the bank’s fraud department,” Tovar said. do. This text his message will say something like “Did you purchase this item?” Offering an amount that appears to be fraudulent is usually concerning enough for the victim to panic and say “no” as soon as possible. When you do this, you may receive a response that says, “Thank you. Someone from our fraud team will contact you shortly.”
From there, the attacker and victim communicate directly and are tricked into handing over sensitive information. In other scenarios, you may be told that you need to download certain software to alleviate the situation that the scammer has led you to believe. This software allows scammers to take control of your entire device.
There are other variations of this new style of social engineering, but they all involve exploiting the emotions and vulnerabilities of the victim to perform deceptive acts. When I asked Tovar how he expected social engineering fraud to change with the current wave of AI-assisted and AI-generated fraud, he said: “It’s just the wind before the storm.”
![social media scheme 3](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/05/1200/675/3-How-to-protect-yourself-from-the-latest-social-engineering-schemes.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
AI illustration for you (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
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How can we adjust our outlook to better recognize and combat social engineering scams?
To combat these impersonation scams, many brands have told their customers, “We will never call you.” That makes sense, but it only encourages scammers to devise new ways to deceive their victims. Beyond this, Tovar says there’s another problem with telling users not to call you. “As brand enthusiasts, enthusiasts, and supporters, that’s not what we want our favorite brands to say.” He’s right. After all, one of the reasons a customer chooses one brand over a competitor is that he feels comfortable talking to someone if he has questions or concerns.
![social media scheme 4](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/05/1200/675/4-How-to-protect-yourself-from-the-latest-social-engineering-schemes.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Fraudsters using AI to deceive you (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
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Beyond Intuition: Navigating the Blurred Lines of AI Fraud
“Of course, if someone calls you, you should be aware of what is being asked of you. If it looks suspicious, you should stop,” Tovar said. Masu. But with the sophistication of AI and the clever and innovative tricks scammers have up their sleeves, simply asking us to act on our “gut feelings” is not enough. “The line between what feels shady and what feels authentic has disappeared.”
![social media scheme 5](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/05/1200/675/5-How-to-protect-yourself-from-the-latest-social-engineering-schemes.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Woman answering the phone while using a laptop (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
Proactive protection against sophisticated social engineering scams
Protecting yourself from social engineering scams requires a multi-pronged approach, especially in the age of AI. Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself from such threats.
1. Stay informed: Stay up to date with the latest fraud techniques and cybersecurity news. Awareness is the first line of defense.
2. Verify separately. If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a company, contact the company directly through official channels to verify their claims.
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3. Protect your personal information: Be careful about sharing personal information, especially when responding to unsolicited communications.
Four. Use two-factor authentication. To enable two-factor authentication Add an extra layer of security whenever possible.
Five. Be skeptical: Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true or urgent requests for action.
6. Secure communication: use encrypted communication channel Also, avoid discussing sensitive information over unsecured networks.
7. Update your system regularly: Maintain operating systems and cybersecurity software Latest Protect against known vulnerabilities.
8. Avoid unknown links and downloads. Do not click on links or download attachments from unknown sources as they may contain malware. The best way to protect yourself from clicking on malicious links that install malware that can access your personal information is to install antivirus protection on all your devices. This can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best antivirus protection products of 2024 for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.
9. Report suspicious activity: If you suspect a social engineering attempt, please report it to the appropriate authorities.
By taking these steps, individuals and organizations can build stronger defenses against the evolving landscape of social engineering scams. It’s important to remember that as technology advances, so do scammers’ tactics. Continuing education and vigilance are key to maintaining protection.
Cart important points
Sadly, in our online, connected world, avoiding sneaky social engineering scams is part of everyday life. It’s a digital cat-and-mouse game, and we have to stay one step ahead. So what’s the game plan? First, stay on the lookout for the latest scammer techniques. It’s important to stay informed. However, not only detection but also prevention is important. If you receive a suspicious call or message, trust your instincts and double check official sources. Remember that sharing, especially when it comes to personal information, isn’t always something you should be sensitive to. Oh, and what about offers that are too good to be true? That’s a big red flag. Don’t make it easy for scammers.
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