As a local business owner, you’re no stranger to the challenges of running a company. From managing employees to serving customers, your days are packed with important responsibilities. Unfortunately, there’s a new threat on the horizon that demands your attention: AI-powered phone scams.
Scammers are leveraging rapid advancements in artificial intelligence to create stunningly realistic voice clones. Using just a few seconds of recorded audio, these bad actors can generate fake calls that sound exactly like your colleagues, employees, or even family members. The AI will claim there’s an urgent situation, like an accident or financial emergency, and demand that you immediately send money. It’s a scary situation that’s becoming more common.
While AI voice cloning technology is impressive, it’s critical that you stay vigilant to avoid falling victim to these scams. The first step is recognizing that any call could potentially be fake, no matter how real it may sound. Scammers can easily spoof phone numbers to make it seem like the call is coming from a legitimate source.
So what should you do if you receive an urgent call out of the blue demanding money or sensitive information? The single best action is to hang up immediately and call the person back yourself on a number you trust. Look up their contact info and reach out proactively. You can also try contacting them via a different communication method, like email, to verify the situation.
Another smart precaution is setting up a “safe word” with your team that only you would know. If you get a suspicious call from an employee, ask them for the safe word. An AI clone won’t be able to provide it. You can also ask the caller a personal question about a detail that wouldn’t be public, like what they had for lunch that day.
It’s key to understand that any voice can be mimicked now with AI. You may assume your voice is safe if you maintain a low profile, but that’s not true. Synthetic voice generators can clone speech using a tiny amount of audio, even something as simple as a short voicemail message.
By mastering your emotions and resisting the urge to act on impulse, you’ll be well positioned to thwart AI scammers. These fraudsters prey on human psychology, using fear and urgency to cloud judgment. If a call feels suspicious or makes you anxious, that’s a red flag. Step back, take a deep breath, and remember the verification steps above. A few minutes of caution can prevent a costly mistake.
Ultimately, AI voice scams are just the latest incarnation of social engineering, which con artists have employed for centuries. By approaching this threat with awareness, prudence, and a commitment to rigorous authentication measures, you can protect your local business from sophisticated AI-driven fraud attempts. Stay alert out there.