Catfishing and AI: What you need to know.

Most people are familiar with the term “catfishing.” It is a form of cyber-crime where someone assumes a fake identity or borrows a real one for an illegal purpose. These can include theft of money or personal information, profiting off of disaster, or even luring children. 

Catfishing used to be labor-intensive and complicated to pull off, which discouraged simple opportunists. Now, AI can create a hyper-realistic “deepfake” with almost no effort required from the actual criminal. These AI personas are sophisticated and realistic. They can utilize photos, videos, and audio convincingly. AI can generate multi-platform social media presences, create legitimate-looking identification documents, and fake entire backstories and social histories. In some cases, they can even imitate celebrities or people you know. Just last year, scammers sent a Florida woman a deepfake audio of her daughter in distress. Believing her daughter had been in a terrible accident, she lost $15,000 to the scam. 

The good news? Although catfishing technology is ever-changing, protective measures remain relatively familiar, with a few notable changes. 

Know the Warning Signs

If someone you are talking to is behaving suspiciously, it may be an AI impersonator. Here are some red flags: 

• Refusal to video call (more difficult to maintain an AI persona on a live feed)
• Communications that are too polished, scripted, or robotic
• Pressure to move your communications off official platforms (like dating apps or social media)
• Rushed relationships and sense of urgency
• Requests to send money or “invest” in an opportunity

Take Preventative Measures 

AI often utilizes data-scraping to scam you or impersonate you. Don’t forget to protect your information!

• Be conservative about what you share online. Even the basics (your place of work, contact information, your alma mater) can be used against you. 
• Always set your social media profiles to private. Never accept friend requests from people you don’t know. 
• Set up a free Google Alert to email you whenever your name shows up online. 
• Use strong passwords and keep your security software updated. 
• If you receive strange, out-of-character messages from friends or family members, contact them via another method before you respond to make sure it’s really them. 
• Learn about deepfakes and new technologies so you know how to identify them if you come across them. 
• Always report suspicious activity to the proper authorities.