Since the launch of ChatGPT, the term AI (Artificial Intelligence) has become a hot topic and a daily debate. The internet popped because it was the first time an AI chatbot provided answers and performed tasks in response to user queries.
As artificial intelligence gained popularity, the Internet was flooded with AI tools and services that perform a wide range of day-to-day tasks. Adobe, OpenAI, Google, and other large corporations, as well as small businesses, all contribute to the problem.
It is important to note that I said it is a problem because it can be both dangerous and beneficial to all of us. But how exactly?
You’ve probably heard that ‘Artificial Intelligence is a future threat to humans’. You should believe in it to some extent, but did you know that there is a specific misuse of AI that can endanger you?
But how exactly can AI endanger you? Keep reading to find out about the dark side of AI and how it can put you at risk through unique misuse.
Unique Misuse of AI: Voice Cloning
Recently many cases of frauds have come to the fore in which many people have been duped of money without their knowledge. The most notable aspect is that everything was done by their known ones, not exactly but in some ways.
According to some reports, fraudsters are contacting people through a relative or through phone, demanding money from them. This is accomplished by using AI voice cloning tools to replicate someone’s known voice.
As the name indicates, an AI voice cloning tool is a fake voice cloning tool that replicates someone’s voice simply by sampling their voice. Today, AI voice cloning tools are able to replicate a voice simply by listening to a 3-4 second clip.
How scammers clones voices?
Scammers use a simple method to clone someone’s voice that most people are unaware of. Here’s how.
You may have noticed that when you answer a call from an unknown strange number, no one says a single word or responds back except you. After a few words, you cut the call, thinking that someone had called you by mistake or that there was a network problem with the call.
In the meantime, scammers record your voice, and after the call, they sample it with AI voice cloning tools. These AI voice cloners mimic the victim’s real-sounding voice and use it to defraud their known ones.
How do scammers use the cloned voice to scam?
Scammers call your contacts and known ones after cloning your voice. They impersonate you by speaking in your voice with an unknown number and convincing them that you are in serious trouble and need help, usually in the form of money.
How to be safe from voice cloning scams?
You can protect yourself from voice-cloning scams by refusing to answer and blocking suspicious calls. Smartphones are capable of detecting such scams and fake calls, but you need to be precise from your end as well.
Another effective way to identify fake voice scams is to create a code word with your friends that you can use to identify each other whenever they call. This way, you can determine whether it is your contact or a scammer.
Chandramohan is a tech geek who enjoys writing about the Internet of Things, social media, and emerging technologies. He is an MCA student at GG University in Chhattisgarh with a strong foundation in computer science.
