Article by Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale
What You Need to Know About AI scams
How to spot a scam that uses AI
AI is being used in many different types of fraudulent schemes including quick phishing attempts in the form of emails or texts supposedly from a reputable company, "long cons" like romance, investment, or cryptocurrency scams, and even scams claiming to be "tech support." If you get a text, email, call, or voice message requesting or demanding your response, watch for these things:
* Skimpy social media. The "person" contacting you has an inconsistent or thin social media footprint - few friends, recent account creation, comments that don't seem natural, or images that don't match name/profile details.
* Odd website/email address. Tiny misspellings, weird fonts, non-secure websites asking for login information, or a return email address that doesn't match the website domain asking for information (Example: john.doe@USPSUS.com when USPS.com is the actual domain name).
(BPT) - You've probably heard about the amazing things artificial intelligence (AI) can do, from quickly creating written content and images to making videos that appear real, even when they're fake. Unfortunately, this easily accessible technology is also used by fraudsters to fool people into sharing personal information, investing in fake schemes, or giving scammers their money.
When AI technology is so good at faking - and personalizing - scams, what can consumers do to protect themselves?
"From AI-generated emails and texts to cloned voice messages, calls, and deepfake videos, today's scammers have many tools at their disposal," said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. "But if you're alert and understand fraudsters' typical methods, you can stay one step ahead of them." The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is sharing some red flags that can help you avoid AI-generated traps and what you or a loved one can do if you are a victim of fraud.
BUSINESS MATTERS