Generative AI scams are surging! Baby boomers with computers are a primary target – but only because they are perceived as having money. As the use of generative AI spreads, sophisticated and highly personalized scams using criminal LLMs are going to become the norm.
Anyone can be a target: companies, seniors, teens... Here are some simple guidelines that can reduce your likelihood of becoming a victim.
- Rule number one: you are not special. This, more than anything should be your North Star. A government task force investigating investment fraud will never contact you. Elon Musk doesn't know who you are. You haven't won anything. You are never visitor number whatever. You are a grain of sand on a vast beach. Repeat after me: I am a grain of sand on a vast beach... No matter what you think is happening? It's a scam.
- Rule two: on this planet, you will never be warned in advance of danger. Welcome to Earth. No company will ever contact you because they've detected any 'malfeasance' anywhere. Think about it. They can't prevent their own data breaches. They are technologically incompetent. When was the last time something bad almost happened? There is only one exception to this rule and that is a driver in the oncoming lane who flashes high beams at you in rural Pennsylvania could be warning you of deer – or cops – ahead. If you are not driving through rural America right now? It's a scam.
- Rule three: abort the unexpected with extreme prejudice. Not expecting that kind-of urgent message from your mom, your bank, the IRS, Social Security? Delete it. Facebook Messenger? I'm looking at you. Over-react with extreme prejudice. Delete everything. Block callers. If it's a family member? Call them. Bank? Visit the home page of your bank in a web browser on a computer running some kind of security – not your phone – and see if it is legit. The government will never contact you, of course, because of rules one and two.
It can feel like you are making your world smaller, but the years of open emotional borders are over. We've entered the age of exclusive access only. Minimal social media engagement with friends and family only on the fewest channels. Minimal personal information posted. If possible, once you connect with loved ones, make your accounts private. Media is more prone to malware, if you can avoid TikTok, even better.
It's become a yearly event for at least one large company that flogged me online repeatedly to change my password every 3 months to send an email sheepishly admitting that all of my priceless data has just been stolen. Oopsie! So delete all unused accounts for anything online – don't just abandon them.
My new rule is once you lose my data? You're going to lose me as a customer as soon as I can replace you or decide I don't need you.
If you are retired? Consider reverting to old school and just visiting your bank or broker for anything other than downloading yearly tax documents. Because even though you are not special (rule one) AI scams can run remotely, sifting through all those grains of sand on the beach... so do not assume you cannot be found – eventually. And since your financial data may have been compromised by the crappy security at your brokerage? Don't trust them either.
Finally, become familiar with the types of scams out there. If you've never heard of "sockpuppeting" (false online identies created to praise, defend or support a person – essentially half of Elon Musk's followers on Twitter/X) now is a good time to start learning the vocabulary.
