Title: AI BOTS Are Stealing Victims’ Log-ins – How to Protect Yourself
AI BOTS Are Stealing Victims’ Log-ins – How to Protect Yourself
AI bots are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to steal victims’ log-ins by tricking them with fake information and spoofing banks. This poses a significant threat to online security, but there are simple and effective ways you can protect yourself from these evil scammers.
ONE-TIME PASSWORD BOTS
These AI bots operate by pretending to be legitimate organizations, such as banks, in order to coerce their victims into revealing a one-time password (OTP). Initially, they obtain the victim’s login credentials, including their password. Subsequently, the AI bot will call the unsuspecting victim to extract the OTP. This is usually achieved through a pre-recorded social engineering script that tricks the victim into keying in the code during the call. The code is then relayed to the attacker’s Telegram bot, allowing the scammer access to the victim’s account.
HOW AI BOTS START
Fraudsters kick off their AI bot scams by purchasing a subscription in crypto, costing approximately $420 a week. The bots are equipped with the victim’s name, number, and banking details. Additionally, scammers can activate a spoofing function to manipulate individuals into divulging their secret OTP. Moreover, the scammers can tailor the language and voice of the AI bot, as all fake voices are AI-generated. Victims may receive a text message before the call to make the interaction seem more legitimate.
PHONE SCAM STATISTICS
According to statistics, Americans receive about three billion spam phone calls each month. In 2022 alone, Americans lost a staggering $39.5 billion to phone scams, affecting around 68.4 million citizens. The average phone scam victim lost $567.41, indicating a significant rise in losses from the previous year. Most scams occur over the phone, with a 56% increase in spam calls in the US in 2021. Moreover, US residents received an average of 18 spam phone calls per month, leading to concerns about the rising prevalence of phone scams.
HOW TO STOP BECOMING AN AI BOT VICTIM
To protect yourself from falling victim to AI bot scams, exercise caution when receiving unsolicited messages containing login codes. Avoid clicking confirmation buttons or sharing codes with anyone. It is crucial to create strong and unique passwords for all your accounts to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, be wary of messages with links to enter personal data or OTPs and always double-check the URL to ensure it is legitimate. Never share your one-time passwords with anyone and refrain from entering them on your phone keypad during a call to safeguard your sensitive information.