Police Advisory On Scams Using WhatsApp & AI
The police are “warning members of the public to remain vigilant against recent scam attempts involving compromised WhatsApp accounts and the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence [AI], including deep fake technology, to impersonate trusted individuals and defraud victims.”
A police spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Police Service [BPS] is warning members of the public to remain vigilant against recent scam attempts involving compromised WhatsApp accounts and the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence [AI], including deep fake technology, to impersonate trusted individuals and defraud victims.
Code Scam
“Criminals may attempt to take control of a WhatsApp account by obtaining a victim’s verification code or by deceiving them into sharing personal or account information. This has frequently been executed by means of contacting victims via WhatsApp and misinforming them that the code being sent to their phones is in relation to a scheduled “Zoom” meeting. Thereafter, the victims are prompted to transmit the six [6] digit code to the bad actors not knowing that the code represents the key for their WhatsApp account to be migrated to a new device. Once an account is compromised, the offender may impersonate the account holder and contact family members, friends or business associates requesting money, financial assistance or sensitive information.
“Protect yourself:
- “Never share your WhatsApp verification code or PIN with anyone, even if the request appears to come from someone you know.
- “Enable Two-Step Verification on your WhatsApp account.
- “Be cautious of unexpected messages asking for money, gift cards, banking information or urgent assistance.
- “Verify unusual requests by contacting the person directly using a different method, such as a telephone call.
- “Do not click on suspicious links, or provide personal, banking or login information in response to unsolicited messages.
- “Regularly review the devices linked to your WhatsApp account and remove any you do not recognise.
AI Deep Fake Fraud
“The Bermuda Police Service [BPS] is warning members of the public to remain vigilant against recent scam attempts involving compromised WhatsApp accounts and the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence [AI], including deep fake technology, to impersonate trusted individuals and defraud victims.
“Advances in AI technology have made it increasingly possible for criminals to create convincing fake audio, video, images and messages that appear to come from a real person.
“A fraudster may use AI-generated audio to imitate the voice of a family member, friend, business executive or public official and create a false sense of urgency—for example, claiming that someone is in trouble and needs money immediately.
“Remember: Seeing or hearing someone is no longer sufficient proof of identity!
“Before Sending Money: Stop! Think! Verify!
“If you receive an unusual or urgent request for money:
- “Stop – Do not act immediately because someone is pressuring you to do so.
- “Think – Consider whether the request is unusual or inconsistent with the person’s normal behaviour.
- “Verify – Contact the person independently using a trusted telephone number or another established means of communication.
- “Do Not Send Money until you are satisfied that the request is genuine.
“If a caller claims to be a relative or trusted person, ask questions that an impersonator would be unlikely to know. Avoid relying solely on the voice, image or video presented to you.
If You Believe You Have Been Defrauded
“Contact your financial institution immediately if money has been transferred or financial information has been disclosed. Preserve relevant WhatsApp messages, telephone numbers, screenshots, transaction information, emails, audio, video and any other evidence.
“Report suspected fraud or account compromise to the Bermuda Police Service as soon as possible.
“BPS reminds the public: Criminals are using increasingly sophisticated technology to make scams appear genuine. Take a moment to verify before you trust, click or transfer money.”
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