I shared the news story with DH about AI voice scams. I told him that if he ever gets a call from an “authority” he should tell them he will call them directly and hang up.
So he says, “Right, I’ll ask them their phone number and then call!” OMG. I wish I were joking, but I’m not.
Here’s another scam that is quite scary, though I’m not sure how common it is becoming: AI cloning voices - scary stuff
I received a call on my home phone today with the caller ID of our small city’s police department. When I answered the phone, all I hear was loud static. I waited to see if another call came through, but when it didn’t I googled the phone number, and it indeed was the police department. I decided to call back, it was the non emergency line, and asked if there was someone trying to call me. The woman said they recently received another call like mine stating there was a call and only static on the line. My guess is someone spoofed the number, but not sure the purpose if they didn’t speak.
90% of the unknown calls on my home phone are spam, which I don’t answer. Because the caller ID showed the police department, I decided to answer. If other are getting this call, there will be an IG post from my city about it.
Got a voicemail from “Publishers Clearinghouse”—note, I never entered the sweepstakes. A heavily accented individual said I was the grand prize winner!!!
Someone told me about this product recently, and I think it’s a hilarious way to get back at telemarketers. It’s a voice bot that says random things to keep a conversation going and wastes the caller’s time.
(Note: I have absolutely no connection with this product, nor am I a subscriber yet. I just thought it was brilliant and funny)
Oh boy! Ed McMahon’s going to be at your house with the big check any minute now!
Can’t wait to meet the Ghost of Ed McMahon!!!
Hahaha, I just listened to the whole 14.5 minute Jolly Roger call. Hilarious!
I’m so sorry for this person, but – really?? I’m amazed that someone so educated could be so naive.
Me too!
People really are too gullible!! They need to have people they trust to have perception checks with. I’m sorry for victims but people really have to be on their guard.
That is really dumb. But, on a smaller scale, I am forever amazed at the number of very smart people who do not do one iota of checking and do the annoying “copy/ paste” facebook hoaxes of every iteration. What is wrong with smart people???
Yeah, that copy/paste thing really drives me bananas. And even when I reply that it’s a hoax, they keep doing it!
Yes, seems pretty obvious. But…my dad and my H are both very smart, and I have had to coach them about recognizing phishing emails.
I had one person today, when I said it was a hoax, ask me how I was so sure. I am getting weary of posting all the snopes articles.
Wow what an article and sad story (losing a life’s savings!). Just wondering …could there be age-related cognitive issues in play?
As my mom got older I could see the decision-making skills weaken a great deal (although she was still awesome & functioning well in many other respects).
My very smart dad said Publisher’s Clearing House called and said he’d won something and to call back (left a long voice mail). He was so sure it was true until I asked him if he had ever entered a PCH sweepstakes with “no” being the answer. So how could he win a sweepstakes with never having entered in the first place? He got so many scam calls it was ridiculous but to his credit he’d ask me about them first.
I just received the 3rd “silent” call from the same unknown number which I typically don’t answer and let go to voice mail. However, I was waiting for a dr/pa call on a biopsy result so I just picked it up without looking and said “hello”. Silence. I hung up and now I’m quite paranoid about my voice being cloned, although not 3 seconds. This brings to mind a concern regarding my TransAmerica retirement account that had asked me to switch my password to my actual voice saying “my voice is my password”. I did it, this was literally like a week before all the AI cloning of voices hit the news. I immediately got online and tried every which way from Sunday to disconnect my voice from that password. Finally had to call and talk to someone as I could not do it online. They finally said it won’t work anymore after tomorrow, I did try to log in the next day with voice and it still working, but the following day it was not. Ended up moving my retirement account out of that firm to another very quickly. I hope they stopped that practice.
Huh. I have “My voice is my password” with Schwab as well, but they always ask for my birthdate and/or address when I then speak to someone.