As the holiday season peaks, online shoppers are being targeted by scammers who are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to drive phishing scams. According to recent reports, AI-driven phishing attacks increased by 60% from January to December 2023.
To protect themselves, consumers need to be vigilant and take steps to verify the authenticity of emails, websites, and phone calls before sharing sensitive information. The Better Business Bureau’s Columbia Director Khesha Duncan advises training yourself to slow down when shopping online and checking for warning signs such as typos, poor grammar, and unprofessional design.
Common AI-driven scams include phishing emails that mimic legitimate retailers, smishing (text message phishing), fake websites that replicate popular retailers, vishing (voice phishing) that uses phone calls or voicemails to trick people into sharing information, and deepfakes that create realistic yet fake photo or video content.
To stay safe, consumers can use credit cards for extra protection, establish safe words with close contacts, secure their accounts by regularly updating passwords and antivirus software, and pause before clicking on links. If they fall victim to a scam, they can report it to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker immediately.
“Taking those extra steps—checking URLs, verifying sellers and consulting family and friends—can save you a lot of heartache,” Duncan said.
Source: https://www.komu.com/news/how-to-avoid-ai-driven-scams-this-holiday-shopping-season/article_04aa3fca-b285-11ef-8094-f70dcad08d16.html