Explosive FBI Reveal: AI Deepfake Scams Targeting U.S. Government Officials Since 2023

The FBI issued warnings about the deepfake disguise of American officials.

Since the year 2023, nearly every annual alarm raised by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States emphasizes a "continuing" scheme of fraud using deepfake voices and messages impersonating senior American government officials, or so reported by the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Starting from 2023, this practice is basically putting another layer of fraud using AI technologies, specifically voice cloning and text technologies, to impersonate a famous person or use their name and identity to propagate falsehoods or misuse private information about this individual.

What Does The FBI Say?

Typically, the FBI says that fake messages are using well-known and former government officials, for example, someone from the White House or Cabinet. The first few are to cajole the victims with fake pretexts and talk about moving the conversation to a more encrypted platform: Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp, to try and coax them out of BIT/login details or some money.

Messages from the FBI went on to say:

the scam started in 2023: Messages with names of such White House, Cabinet, Congress, and other parties to the government are sent in fraudulent channels.

Inspiration for baiting victims included:

*Shifting conversation to a more secure app

*Arranging for a discussion or a meeting

*Requesting their private information/passwords or codes

*Requesting copies of official documents or identity cards.

FBI also forewarned its audience that the (ai-voice) would be very smooth in making a real and life sound for a person to recognize as fake. It could possess some unnoticed but minor mistakes on the impersonated voice that sound so familiar with a real speaker. Thus, one should never trust unauthorized messages coming from government officials without cross-verifying through a known telephone number or an independent source.

Here Are Ways to Shield Yourself

Check numbers or email IDs you already know.

Do not open dubious links/requests.
Never divulge codes for two-factor authentication just because the person asked.
Avoid disclosing personal details through unofficial channels.
When unsure, report to the relevant security agency.

Conclusion

Without any doubts, this would put artificial intelligence today as the greatest threat concerning entertainment or creative work but is now poised to be a growing threat under cybersecurity and fraud, and everyone needs to familiarize themselves with it and safeguard against it.

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