Hyderabad: Online scams, particularly in the form of fake voice call scams, are on a concerning surge in India. Scammers are leveraging advanced technology to create AI-generated fake voice calls that sound quite authentic.
A recent McAfee survey titled 'The Artificial Imposter' emphasised on the severity of the issue. Out of 7,054 participants from seven countries, including India, 69% express uncertainty about differentiating between real and AI-cloned voices. Furthermore, 47% of Indian adults have either personally experienced or known someone who fell victim to an AI voice scam, with financial losses exceeding ₹50,000 for 48% of those affected.
According to the survey, there are plenty of sophisticated AI voice-cloning tools available online. These tools, capable of achieving an 85% voice match with just three seconds of audio, raise concerns about the ease with which scammers can create convincing fake calls. McAfee researchers even demonstrated a 95% voice match by training data models with minimal video files.
Here are some of the ways to protect yourself from fake voice call scams-
- Verify callers- Confirm the caller's identity using a code word or a question only they would know. Use secret words or personal answers to verify the legitimacy of the caller.
- Refrain from clicking links- Avoid clicking links in texts to prevent malware or redirection to fake websites.
- Ignore Unknown Calls- Ignoring unknown calls and letting them go to voicemail is another preventive measure. If a message is left, verifying the caller's number through official websites adds an extra layer of security.
- Never provide personal information- Do not share any personal data with any unknown caller. You should even refrain from sharing your email address or your address
- Block scammer's number- Blocking the scammer's number helps avoid situations in which you accidentally answer again, as the scammers call again and again once they get hold of you.
- Do Not Share OTP- Refraining from sharing One-Time Passwords (OTPs) and avoiding remote access requests helps thwart potential scams aiming to extract sensitive information or introduce malware.
- Do not trust Caller ID- Be wary of scammers disguising their numbers through caller ID, as scammers can manipulate numbers to appear legitimate.
- Hang Up on suspicious calls- Hanging up on suspicious calls and refraining from complying with unusual or urgent demands is advised.
- Report scam calls- Reporting scam calls to relevant authorities, such as the national helpline 155260 or the cybercrime.gov.in online portal, aids in combating cyber fraud.
- Use Call-Blocking Apps- Use call-blocking apps to identify and disrupt illegal calls, although users should exercise caution, as these services may occasionally mislabel legitimate calls as spam.
While these 10-points will help you wade through the challenge, understanding the mechanics of these scams holds the key to devise further strategies. Typically, spam calls, including robocalls, aim to deceive recipients into paying money or divulging sensitive information. Scammers may pose as telemarketers, government representatives, or even health insurance providers, employing various tactics to exploit unsuspecting victims. We need to be cautious if we want to remain safe in the era of AI.
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