Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using artificial intelligence and spoofing real phone numbers to deceive unsuspecting victims.
Etowah County resident Ana Kelly nearly fell prey to such a scam when she received a call from someone posing as a sheriff’s deputy.
“He knew my name, he had my phone number and knew the date I was supposed to appear as a juror and knew I hadn’t appeared,” Kelly said. The caller even managed to spoof the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office number, making the scam appear legitimate.
Kelly recounted how the scammer kept her on the phone for 40 minutes, convincing her there was a gag order and requesting money for bail. “It made me afraid. I was taken back,” she said. It was only when the caller asked for money upfront that Kelly realized it was a scam.
The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office has been warning residents about such scams, emphasizing that they do not collect fines, fees, or bail money over the phone. Similarly, Talladega County Sheriff Jimmy Kilgore has issued a warning on a billboard off Highway 280, stating that the sheriff’s office will never call to ask for money or prepaid cards.
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Carl Bates, president of the local Better Business Bureau, highlighted the growing sophistication of these scams. “This is not two guys in your basement pulling these scams, this is organized crime in multiple countries,” Bates said. He noted that while 18- to 24-year-olds are the largest group falling victim, while senior citizens are often losing more money when scammed.
Scammers are going as far as spoofing numbers, using personal information and taking advantages of growing advances in technology.
“A lot of data is exposed to AI so much so, that is can render a fake video or artificial video in real time,” explained Bezalel Eithan Raviv, CEO of Lionsgate Network, which offers crypto recovery support.
“Every social media platform, every instruction with your phone, tablet, computer, needs to be questioned,” said Raviv.
Lionsgate Network sees thousands of victims on a daily basis and said awareness is the best armor.
“We are basically trying to educate our clients, people that have been embezzled using AI, or cyber criminals using AI to embezzle them, we’re trying to create as much awareness as possible, so prevention is going to be the talk of the day, rather than recovery,” said Raviv, who offered this suggestion. “If you have a video call with someone, and you want to challenge it, in the event it’s avatar, you can ask it to touch its nose, you can ask things while having the conversation, based on the fact that they have limited scripts. Even though we’re already seeing experiences where the rendering is in real time and quite responsive.”
Experts advise caution and awareness as the best defense against these scams. “Never give anyone any personal information, never transfer money,” Bates said. “Always ask somebody if this seems like a legitimate transaction.”
Kelly urged others to be vigilant. “Don’t take it at face value, really think of what they are telling you, think if it’s legit, look for the red flags,” she said.
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