In recent months, AI chatbots have gained immense popularity, captivating the world. We have enjoyed questioning ChatGPT, testing its abilities to perform our tasks, and amusing ourselves with fun facts and jokes.
While many people fascinate themselves with AI capabilities, cybercriminals use it for nefarious purposes. With Artificial Intelligence, online scams have become more challenging to detect. Scammers now utilize programs such as ChatGPT to generate error-free and convincing texts.
Phishing Scams More Dangerous
Previously, individuals could identify phishing emails by merely looking at their inboxes. It was rare for legitimate tax authorities to end their messages with ‘Sincerely yours, tax refund authority.’ However, ironically, chatbot-generated phishing emails appear more human-like, posing a greater risk of falling for a scam. Therefore, there’s a need to exercise even greater caution.
Cybercriminals have realized that AI can enhance their phishing schemes, rendering them more effective. To avoid falling prey, we recommended exercising caution with emails. Review them carefully, watch for grammatical or spelling errors, and verify their authenticity before clicking any links.
Possible Solution?
Presently, security tools for identifying AI-generated messages are being developed, but they are still far from perfect. Consequently, it is necessary to exercise extra caution when opening emails, particularly those you were not expecting. Verify the message’s source and double-check with the sender if you have any reservations. Refrain from replying to any email you are not expecting or have reservations about.
To safeguard your personal information and finances, follow these tips:
- Never disclose passwords or authentication codes to callers.
- Be suspicious of promotions or offers that appear too good to be legitimate.
- Pause when given a time-sensitive promotion, prize, or threat to terminate service. Most companies offer ample communication time for discounts and special offers. They also won’t ask you to provide your account number.
In March, Nortons, a security software company, highlighted the dangers posed by the proliferation of AI. Nortons’ report detailed the potential for AI to generate deep fake content, initiate phishing campaigns, create malware, and other hazards.
Featured image is taken from thenextweb.com