April isn’t just about spring showers and flowers blooming – it’s also the month that begins with April Fools’ Day, where harmless pranks and jokes are all in good fun. But there’s nothing funny about the sophisticated scams that fraudsters are creating using artificial intelligence tools. While AI brings many positive innovations to our lives, in the wrong hands, it’s becoming a powerful weapon for creating more convincing and personalized scams.
The Growing AI Threat in Canada
The landscape of digital fraud has evolved dramatically, with AI making scams harder to detect than ever before. Nearly 75% of Canadians fear their identity will be stolen due to advancements in AI, yet only about 20% feel confident they can recognize AI-generated attempts to compromise their personal information. Worse, the Better Business Bureau’s 2024 Canada Risk report revealed this sobering statistic: when Canadians are targeted by scammers, nearly 60% end up losing money. This high “scam susceptibility rate” shows just how effective these deceptive tactics have become.
How AI Makes Scams More Convincing
With tools like ChatGPT and other large language models, scammers can generate perfect, personalized messages that appear to come from legitimate organizations or people you trust. AI voice synthesis can create convincing voice messages that sound exactly like your loved ones, while deepfake technology produces realistic images and videos that pass the eye test. These technologies enable fraudsters to create highly personalized scams at scale, from fake family emergency calls to counterfeit documents and websites that look indistinguishable from the real thing.
Warning Signs of AI-Generated Scams
While artificial intelligence has made scams more sophisticated and difficult to detect, you’re not defenseless. Knowing what to look for can still help you spot potential fraud. Even the most advanced AI systems leave subtle clues that something isn’t quite right. Here are key warning signs to watch for:
- They get general facts right but miss personal details: AI might know your name and job, but miss important personal details. For example, a message supposedly from your sister might not mention her children’s names correctly or might reference events that never happened between you two.
- They create a false sense of urgency: Be wary when messages push you to “act now” or claim there’s an emergency requiring immediate money transfers. Real organizations rarely demand instant action.
- Something looks “off” in videos or images: In AI-generated visuals, look for faces that don’t quite look right, strange lip movements that don’t match the words, or backgrounds that appear distorted or unnaturally blurry.
- The writing seems unnaturally perfect: If an email or message is too polished with flawless grammar and formatting (unlike typical messages from friends or even businesses), it might be AI-generated content designed to look professional.
Protecting Yourself from AI-Powered Scams
Despite the growing sophistication of AI scams, you can still protect yourself by following these essential practices:
- Create a family password or secret question. Come up with a simple code word or question that only your family members would know the answer to. If you receive a distress call claiming to be from a loved one, ask for this secret password before taking any action.
- Verify through a different channel. If you receive a suspicious message that appears to be from a friend, family member, or organization, contact them through a different method than the one used to send the message.
- Research before taking action. If you’re unsure about a company or offer, research it independently. According to the Better Business Bureau’s 2024 Canada Risk report, investment and cryptocurrency scams are currently the riskiest in Canada, with a susceptibility rate of nearly 88%.
- Use multi-factor authentication. Enable multi-factor authentication on all your important accounts to add an extra layer of security beyond just passwords. This is crucial because even if scammers use AI to figure out your password or trick you into revealing it, they still can’t access your accounts without the second verification factor (like a code sent to your phone). Over 60% of Canadians already use this vital protection method.
- Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Take the time to verify before responding, even if the message creates a sense of urgency.
Remember, while technology evolves, the basics of guarding against fraud remain the same: double-check with the person or company sending the communication, question unusual requests, and trust your instincts when something doesn’t feel right.
Stay vigilant, stay informed, and stay safe!
