Police issue advisory related to new AI technology based vishing scam

Release Date: March 25, 2024

It’s no secret that cybercriminals are using AI technology to craft phishing emails, but did you know AI can also help them with voice phishing (vishing)? It’s surprisingly easy to teach AI software to sound like a specific person. All they need to recreate your voice is a short audio clip, like one from a recorded phone call or a video posted to social media. Once the cybercriminals have your voice, they can easily target friends, family members, and coworkers with AI-powered vishing.

Cybercriminals often use this tactic to impersonate managers and executives of an organization. In this scam, you receive an unexpected call from somebody in upper management asking you to help with an urgent project. The voice will direct you to wire money to a vendor in order to meet a looming deadline. Of course, if you follow their directions, you’ll actually be wiring money to the cybercriminals instead.

Follow these tips to stay safe from AI-powered vishing attacks:

• When you receive an unexpected message, contact the person using a reliable source. You can use a phone number you have on file, an official email address, or a messaging system like Teams.
• If you’re speaking to the caller directly, ask questions that would be difficult for an imposter to answer correctly.
• Even if the request is urgent, stop and think before you take action. Ask yourself questions like: Is this something in my job description? Or is there a procedure this person should follow?

Stop, look, and think. Don’t be fooled by the scammers.