We have all heard about the growth of Artificial Intelligence, but what really is it and how does it affect us? Artificial Intelligence, or “AI”, are machines that can learn and adapt to their environment to reach some desired goal. While AI seems like a new beast, it actually has been around for decades, but has recently had a surge in the 21st century. Artificial Intelligence can be used in a million different ways, from something as simple as rewording an email to something as complex as piloting a self-driving car, and even has made a huge impact on medicine with AI that can detect cancer cells before standard tests. Of course, AI can be used for good, but unfortunately it is also being used for evil.

With the rapid increase in AI’s popularity, there has also been an uptick in AI-related scams. Because the technology is quickly changing and is largely unfamiliar to the general public, it is easy for scammers to manipulate AI to make their fraud schemes even more believable. Here are some common ways scammers are misusing Artificial Intelligence:

·        Email and Text Generating – Phishing texts and emails are very common, usually identifiable by grammar mistakes and poor formatting, however AI is able to edit text to sound and look professional. This makes it difficult to tell when a message is actually from Medicare or Social Security. Remember: federal programs, like Medicare, do not call or text you! If you are unsure of a message’s legitimacy, delete it!

·        Voice Cloning – We all have heard about scammers calling pretending to be loved ones or government officials demanding money, but Artificial Intelligence is making it harder to tell this is a scam. AI is able to actually clone someone’s voice and use it to say whatever they want it to. They do this by recording someone’s voice through videos on social media or through phone calls. If you receive a call from a random number claiming to be a loved one in trouble, take precautions and verify their identity!

·        Video and Photo Impersonations – A step further than Voice Cloning, AI is able to create photos and even videos that impersonate real people. This means that it can make fake videos of celebrities asking for money, or even do video calls with you pretending to be your boss, friend, or family member. If you receive a strange request from someone you know through a video message, confirm with them in person before taking action.

Texas Senior Medicare Patrol has a toll-free hotline to report any Medicare fraud. Call 888-341-6187 to report fraudulent activity.

This project was supported, in part, by grant number 90MPPG0017, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201.