Artificial Intelligence is providing a powerful tool for scammers to use against consumers.
During the holiday season, shoppers are on the lookout for discounts through Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. However, the FBI has issued a cautionary alert, stating that scammers are also actively searching for potential victims.
“The pressure to buy something without doing any research is very high,” said Paul Keener, Cyber Security Strategist.
Keener is a Cyber Security Strategist with GuidePoint and says Artificial Intelligence has become a powerful new tool for criminals to exploit consumers.
“Generative AI makes it a lot easier to create very realistic social media advertisements that look like they’re coming from legitimate retailers,” said Keener.
“Which once you click on them you go thru to a fake website where they’re trying to steal money, trying to steal your credentials.”
From October through December of last year, the Federal Trade Commission says consumers loss more than $95 million dollars in shopping scams and the FBI warns shoppers to protect themselves.
One way to protect yourself, Keener said is don’t click on an add so fast.
“If I find something that pops up on Instagram, I just always go to the go look on my internet to find it there, not from Instagram direct or Facebook or anything like that,” said Tiana Olmos, shopper.
Keener also advises shoppers to use a credit card and not a debit card.
“Even better than that, use Apple pay, or Samsung Pay or Google pay, some form of digital wallet because it creates a barrier between you and your account and that attacker,” said Keener.
And always be cautions of “too good to be true” and “today only” deals.
Penny Bostian waited until the crowd died down on Black Friday and went to Target to buy a Taylor Swift coffee table book.
“My granddaughters obsessed so I had to get this before they sold out, I heard they were going to sell out,” Penny Bostian, Shopper said.
Shopping with fewer crowds and taking your time are good consumer habits.
“The best thing you can do is take a moment is this legit, is this real, do I need this now?”
If you find yourself the victim of a scam, report it to your bank right away, file a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
