AI and Scams

Yes, they are coming after you.

They know your email address, your phone number, probably even your birthdate and social security number. And they certainly know your name.

But you’re just a number to them. A mark. “Widowed, age 72, $900k in assets. 8 credit cards with a credit line of $80k. A grandchild in college, another in high school.”

Artificial Intelligence enables cybercriminals to use your information to devise the ideal bait to lure you into their devious scams.

Think you can’t be scammed? Then they got you. Anyone can be scammed, including the author of this piece.

The trick is not to get lured in the first place.

It was 40 years ago when a wise President said, “Trust but verify.” For the Internet and AI age, we need to tweak that sage advice to, “Verify first, then trust.”

For every email and text you receive, every phone call you answer, every social media post you read, your first reaction should be, “Is this true?”

The more startling the message, that more on guard you need to be. (And if they ask for gift cards, DISENGAGE.)

Did you really win the lottery? Is your grandchild really in jail? Is the IRS sending the police to the door to arrest you? Is that cute emoji the start of a beautiful relationship?

The answer: “No, no. no. And no again.”

But…

“The voice on the other end sounds just like Johnny, my grandson!

“Erin – my high school crush - it’s so nice of her to message me 40 years later!

“This investment offer from my Bank means I can leave a nice inheritance for my family!””

Wouldn’t it be nice if all this was true? But it’s not. That’s why it’s so important that you treat all messages – especially unexpected messages – with a skeptical eye.

And make a cyber buddy. Doesn’t have to be anyone that’s a computer expert. Just someone who you can call to say, “I’m falling in love with a beautiful Russian woman who’s 50 years younger than me.”  Your friend will give you a virtual slap in the face and say, “Really? Let’s think this through…”

Or, if you don’t have a cyber buddy on-hand, call the AARP Fraud Watch Hotline: 888-908-3360.

Just don’t call me because I’m busy arranging a flight to Thailand to deliver an unmarked package to my new 21 year old girlfriend so we can invest in a sure-fire winner.