WASHINGTON, DC — As technology continues to evolve, lawmakers are working to find out more about artificial intelligence scams targeting seniors in the United States.
A bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking how the pace of innovation in AI technology is impacting fraud and how it’s affecting older Americans. I asked for information about
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The legislators are members of the Senate Select Committee on Aging.
The letter gave specific examples of concerns.
“Voice cloning techniques, in particular, can facilitate identity theft scams by enabling fraudsters to faithfully replicate an individual’s voice using only a short audio sample,” the letter said. “In one case, a scammer used this technique to convince an elderly couple in need of bail that they were their grandchildren, and the couple nearly lost $9,400 by the time bank officials warned them of the possible fraud. Similarly, in Arizona, scammers posing as kidnappers used voice cloning technology to duplicate the sound of a mother’s crying daughter and demand a ransom.”
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Senators have asked the FTC to respond to the letter by June 20.
With more of our voices and images on social media and the internet, it’s easy for scammers to make us sound like someone else using AI.
Alexandra Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, said, “Scams where AI generates someone’s voice have already been confirmed, like a loved one asking you to do something on their phone. It sounds silly, but it’s fake.”
Earlier this month, a Senate committee held a hearing on artificial intelligence, pointing out concerns about the unknowns and potential harms surrounding AI.
“It’s an impersonation scam. It’s an audio clone. It’s a deepfake,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut).
“A lot of lawmakers don’t understand artificial intelligence,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R., Louisiana).
We asked the Better Business Bureau (BBB) what people can do to avoid falling victim to these seemingly convincing scams.
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Melanie McGovern, director of public relations and social media at the BBB, said: “If something doesn’t seem right or you can’t hear 100 percent, hang up.” “You really just want to have that conversation. Know the red flags and know not to give information… We are going to visit my parents-in-law this weekend. We will have those conversations.” They’re in their 80s. Talk about it.”
