A call from an unknown number and a ransom demand for a loved one is not a new method of fraud. However, due to the development of artificial intelligence and the emergence of voice cloning technology, this scheme is becoming more popular, and scammers are managing to make even close family members believe in a fake kidnapping. To identify fraudsters, ESET specialists have prepared a list of the main stages of a typical virtual kidnapping scam, as well as tips for preventing it.
Virtual kidnapping: how do scammers convince their victims?
First, the scammers research potential victims whom they can call and try to extort money from. Moreover, the perpetrators are looking for an identity for the alleged kidnapping, specifically a child or another close person of the victim. For this, scammers use social networks or other publicly available information. Scammers create an imaginary scenario, trying to make it as terrifying as possible for the victim they are about to call. The more frightened the victim is, the less likely they are to make rational decisions, which is what the criminals are counting on.
After that, the scammers can conduct further research to choose the best time to call, ensuring that the victim’s close person is not nearby, for example, on vacation. For this, scammers use publicly available information on the Internet.
Then the scammers create audio deepfakes and make the call. Using special software, criminals create audio with the voice of an allegedly kidnapped person to try to convince the victim of the abduction of a loved one.
They can also use other information obtained from social networks to make the scam more convincing, such as details from the kidnapped person’s life that strangers supposedly cannot know. It is worth noting that scammers often ask for ransom payments in a way that is difficult to trace, for example, using cryptocurrency.
Virtual kidnapping of a victim is becoming easier thanks to AI. ESET
The greatest concern is the capabilities of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools, whose use can make virtual kidnapping even more convincing. Artificial intelligence can help fraudsters search for users in a specific geographical area with public social media profiles and a certain socio-economic status. Moreover, attackers can commit SIM card swapping fraud to steal a phone number for the realism of the call.
How to protect yourself from virtual kidnapping fraud?
To avoid becoming a victim of such scams, it is important to be aware of the possible schemes used by criminals and their main signs, as well as to follow the following recommendations.
Do not share personal information on social media. Avoid posting data such as addresses and phone numbers. Whenever possible, do not share photos, videos, and audio of yourself and your loved ones, and do not share personal information, such as vacation plans.
Make your social media profiles private to minimize the likelihood of being found online.
Be cautious with suspicious messages that may be phishing attempts and trick you into providing confidential personal information or social media account credentials.
Consider using location trackers for your loved ones, such as Find My iPhone.
In case you receive a suspicious call about the kidnapping of a loved one, try calling them from another phone or find another way to contact them and ensure their safety.
During the call, do not disclose any personal information and, if possible, ask about something that only the abductee knows, and also request to speak with them.
Report the incident to the police quickly.
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