Many people fear that artificial intelligence may soon replace their jobs. Meanwhile, fraudsters are increasingly using AI to create fake job ads that even steal your identity. A new report from the Identity Theft Resource Center found that consumer reports of job scams will increase 118 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year. Even worse, the organization found that thieves are increasingly using AI to generate legitimate-looking communications, including fake job postings.
“The rapid improvement in the look, feel and messaging of identity scams is almost certainly a result of the introduction of AI-powered tools,” the ITRC wrote in its June trend report. As AI tools have become more widely available and easier to use, the researchers said, scammers have used them to improve their communications. The result is that scammers seem more authentic and trustworthy, especially when talking to potential victims in other countries.
When it comes to fake job postings, fraudsters often use “paperwork” to convince victims to directly submit personal information such as their Social Security, driver's license and bank account numbers. are
“Most victims didn't think anything was out of the ordinary – we're in a new era of remote work, and the use of technology to communicate is very common,” the ITRC said in its report. said in his report.
According to the group, the primary defense against these scams is to pick up the phone and verify contact directly with the source.
These scams are the latest in a long list of ways AI tools are being used by people with bad intentions. Companies have struggled to keep up on the Internet as people have used AI to create misinformation and disinformation, including computer-generated images of real people in fake situations. Some of these AI-powered attacks have become deeply personal, with global celebrities including Taylor Swift being stolen for deeply fake pornography, music and other content.
Media and technology experts warn that it's likely to get worse, especially because AI is good at learning how to manipulate the people it's interacting with.
“These (scams) will be very good at persuading people,” Jeffrey Hinton, a former Google scientist considered the “godfather of AI,” told CBS' 60 Minutes last year. “They would have learned from all the novels that were ever written, all the Machiavelli books, all the political intrigues, they would know all these things and know how to do it.”
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Concerns over the potential misuse of AI and other issues haven't stopped big tech companies from racing to integrate the technology into their product offerings. Amid their enthusiasm, this approach has already led to decidedly mixed results. For example, Google apologized and slowed the release of its AI review summaries for search results after the feature spread racist conspiracy theories and dangerous health information.
Meanwhile, Facebook and Instagram changed their approach to labeling posts edited or created by AI, after they incorrectly labeled a photo of former White House photographer Pete Souza.
Even startups like OpenAI have revealed high-level disinformation efforts by hackers linked to foreign governments, efforts that, if successful, effectively tear apart our shared understanding of reality. Gives
Scams on the rise
Some job scams start out as fake listings on popular job search sites, such as LinkedIn, Indeed and ZipRecruiter.
Fraudsters then convince victims to go through a fake interview or employment process, where they are asked to share personal information that can be used to steal their identity. In some cases, scammers also ask for login information from websites like ID.me, which partners with the U.S. government to collect the digital identities of people interacting with the Internal Revenue Service, Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration. can be verified.
Many people don't realize things are wrong until the scammers get the information they want and stop responding, the ITRC said.
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Although job and business opportunity scams represent a small percentage of online fraud, this fraud segment is growing. In 2022, people told the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that they lost $367 million to employment and business scams, with an average loss of $2,000.
ITRC said the information scammers steal is increasingly being used for “more serious” schemes, including fraudulently applying for new auto loans and credit card accounts.
As AI becomes able to remember information and recreate people's identities, including their voices, criminals will have even more tools to commit identity theft and fraud.