An Insight into AI Scam Calls: How Technology is Fueling Deceptive Practices
tellows Insights Report
Richard Grant - Expert in Telecommunications and User Protection
Richard is responsible for tellows' Consumer Protection department and is responsible for investigating all matters relating to telephone fraud, with a particular focus on developments in the telecommunications sector. Last updated: Apr 29, 2024
Richard is responsible for tellows' Consumer Protection department and is responsible for investigating all matters relating to telephone fraud, with a particular focus on developments in the telecommunications sector. Last updated: Apr 29, 2024
Due to its capacity for process automation, and intelligent decision-making, artificial intelligence (AI) has completely transformed a number of sectors, including healthcare and finance. But along with these developments, AI has also developed into a powerful tool in the hands of scammers', especially when it comes to phone call scams. This article explores the usage of AI in scam calls, looking at how fraudsters are utilizing technology and how they are using it to their advantage.
- Official AI Automated Phone Numbers
- Tactics used by scammers (e.g. Bank fraud, Insurance, Debt)
- Solutions to these scams (e.g. caller ID app)
Official AI Automated numbers with positive ranking
tellows users submitted to 7 different phone numbers a total of 55 ratings.
PhoneNumber | Ratings | Caller | Example | Score | 01772368038 | 3 | NHS automated call | Automated message regarding a hospital referral. I chose the option to speak to someone who explaine | 1 | 02038301215 | 2 | British Gas | Automated survey following call to British Gas Customer Services. | 4 | 01912826222 | 5 | Bitcoin investment sales | dont know why someone is saying this is a crypto scam, its an automated reminder service number for | 5 | 08435485145 | 1 | unknown | Automated call about vehicle emission lawsuit | 6 | 01527962354 | 2 | Octopus energy | I got daily missed calls from this number. When I answered once they asked me to start confirming se | 1 | 02032820650 | 34 | UK Power? | UK Power Networks is probably listed on your bill as 'Electricity Distributor' if you are in E/SE En | 4 | 02034673641 | 8 | Amazon | Automated help 5 stars | 4 |
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Artificial Intelligence in Phishing Calls:
Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven scam calls are providing new avenues for fraud, accounting for 73% of all automated calls, allowing con artists to automate and customize their schemes on a never-before-seen scale. Voice synthesis technologies are used by these AI-driven systems to successfully imitate human voices, making it impossible for receivers to distinguish between real people and robots.Furthermore, AI systems are capable of analyzing enormous volumes of data to create messages that are specifically targeted at potential victims, which raises the possibility that scams may be successful. The capacity of AI to have interactive discussions with receivers and dynamically address their queries and objections is one of the main benefits of AI in scam calls. Because AI systems may adjust their replies based on the recipient's behavior, this degree of involvement increases the scam call's credibility by crafting a more compelling story. Often scammer will use the guise of a well-known major company, like Amazon, given that there’s a higher chance the recipient will have an account with them. 6% of automated scam calls have been found to use Amazon as a cover.
Strategies Used by Con artists Employing AI:
When using AI in phone scams, con artists use a variety of strategies to trick and steal from gullible people. Using social engineering tactics, where AI systems obtain personal data from social media sites and public databases, is one popular strategy. Scammers increase the likelihood that the receiver will comply with their requests by establishing a sense of familiarity and trust by bringing up personal information about the recipient's life or hobbies.AI Automated numbers with negative ranking
tellows users submitted to 179 different phone numbers a total of 499 ratings.
PhoneNumber | Ratings | Caller | Example | Score | 01235612835 | 3 | Telephonic Survey | Called today c10am - didn't leave a message as a/m kicked in. I rang back - automated message said | 7 | 01135344313 | 2 | Automated call scam | Could only hear the dial tone, and then a pause, and it hung up. | 8 | 03316300392 | 3 | Housing Repair spam | Robocall claimed to be from a housing team calling about problems I'd supposedly reported to Housing | 8 | 07701407167 | 14 | Claiming to be hmrc | Called automated service said press 1 for operator claiming to be hmrc saying a file against me and | 8 | 07701407206 | 7 | HMRC (scam) | Received a call with an automated recording from his Majesty's HMRC notifying me that an official do | 8 | 02036269759 | 3 | Automated call scam | Automated scam call, starts with a pre-recorded message, then connects to scammers once you respond. | 8 | 01519281006 | 2 | Bank Security scam | A message from "Bank Security," which was automated, informed the customer that their card had been | 8 | 03316307924 | 2 | Housing repair spam | I received 3 calls from +443316307924, was an automated agent calling about housing repair issues. N | 8 | 02033377967 | 2 | Green Home Energy scam | An automated message claimed to be from a company called Green Home Energy. However, there's no reco | 8 | 07529556615 | 2 | Total jobs spoofed | Received an automated call claiming to be from 'Total Jobs,' instructing me to WhatsApp the number f | 8 |
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A tellows user case study: Mrs. Davidoff related her experience after receiving a call that seemed to be from a Romford number, +441708867831, but was actually an automated message saying it was from a bank, but without actually naming which bank. She was prompted to press 1 to speak or 2 to authenticate regarding apparent significant charges made from her account, which included one to Amazon and another to an international account. She cautioned against pressing any further since it became obvious at that point that it was a scam.
Using AI-powered voice synthesis to imitate powerful people or organizations, such financial institutions or government agencies, is another strategy. The hoax call gains credibility when official-sounding voices and language are used, giving the receiver the impression that the call is authentic and authoritative.
Additionally, AI-driven scam calls frequently take use of psychological responses like fear, anxiety, and greed in order to trick the listener into acting right away. Scammers may utilize AI-generated communications, for example, to trick victims into disclosing private information or telling them they have won a big reward or their bank account has been hijacked. These bank fraud cases, according to recent data, amount to 6% of automated scam calls. And, a tactic that has been found to be quite prevalent, which constitutes almost 10% of these calls, is the debt collection narrative.
The Effect on Businesses and Consumers:
Scam calls driven by AI are becoming more common, and this has serious consequences for businesses and consumers alike. If they fall for these sophisticated frauds, consumers run the danger of experiencing emotional turmoil, identity theft, and financial losses. Furthermore, a decline in confidence in phone conversations may cause people to become more skeptical and reluctant to interact with respectable organizations and companies.On the other hand, businesses confront difficulties in implementing preventative measures for AI-driven scam calls since conventional fraud detection techniques might not be sufficient to counter these cunning strategies. Legitimate businesses risk having their credibility and reputation damaged if their clients fall for AI-driven frauds that mimic their products or services.
Reducing AI-Powered Fraudulent Calls :
AI-driven scam calls pose a problem that must be addressed with a multifaceted strategy that includes consumer education, governmental actions, and technology solutions. Rely on the tellows app to authenticate incoming calls, cross-referencing numbers against an expansive database of user-generated ratings. Other technological solutions that can help identify and stop fraudulent calls in real-time. Examples of these include sophisticated fraud detection systems that are powered by AI and machine learning algorithms. By identifying potentially fraudulent activity through the analysis of call patterns, speech traits, and behavioral clues, these systems lower the likelihood that consumers would fall victim to scams.Regulations are essential for preventing fraudulent activity and holding those responsible for AI-driven schemes accountable. Stricter penalties for scam callers combined with increased enforcement of current rules and regulations can serve as a disincentive and halt illegal operations.
In order to enable people to identify and successfully respond to AI-driven scam calls, consumer education is essential. Consumers can be assisted in spotting warning signs, confirming the legitimacy of calls, and reporting suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities by using awareness campaigns, instructional materials, and communication best practices.
In summary it is clear that scam calls incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) provide a complicated and dynamic threat landscape that presents difficulties for organizations, consumers, and regulatory agencies alike. We can lessen the effects of AI-driven scam calls and protect against fraudulent activity in the digital age by understanding the strategies used by fraudsters to leverage AI, putting technological safeguards in place, and encouraging increased awareness and vigilance among customers.
All data was last updated on Apr 29, 2024. The phone numbers examined were categorized using the tellows score (1 - serious to 9 - dubious). This indicates the risk assessment of a telephone number. The higher the score, the more dubious the caller is. Calls with the AI categorization and the number of reported phone numbers were examined. The analysis only takes into account numbers for which tellows users have assigned the narrative of 'AI Automated' calls.