AI and Romance Scams: Protecting Yourself from Online Deception
Summary
Dangers of online deception, particularly catfishing scams from romance scammers, are shared as the host reads insights from guest Adam Dodge, who specializes in combating tech-enabled abuse through his organization, EndTAB.
Hear the evolution of catfishing tactics, now incorporating advanced AI technologies like deepfakes and voice cloning to create convincing but fake live videos. Listeners are educated on how to spot and avoid these scams, with practical tips such as observing unnatural eye and lip movements, checking for consistent lighting, and scrutinizing behavior for red flags.
The host stresses the importance of sharing this knowledge, especially with those vulnerable to online dating scams, to foster a safer online environment for all.
Lessons Learned
Ask the Person to Stand Up: Face-swapping apps can generate realistic heads and hands but currently can't create an entire body. Asking the person to stand up or walk around can reveal inconsistencies.
Watch Eye and Lip Movements: Real-time deepfakes often have unnatural eye blinks, facial expressions, or lips that don't sync perfectly with spoken words.
Check the Lighting: In face-swapped videos, the lighting and shadows on the face often don't match those in the background. Asking the person to show their real background can help detect discrepancies.
Focus on Behavior: Scammers typically use love bombing, escalate relationships quickly, and maintain constant communication. The biggest red flag is when they ask for money, gifts, or intimate images. Recognizing these patterns is crucial in spotting a scammer.
Resources
EndTAB Website: endtab.org
EndTAB Instagram
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Music by Andrea Hamilton Binley at HopefulPop.com.
The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation.
