Fraud comes in many forms, but one of the fastest growing methods for seniors is medical fraud, including deep fake ads generated by artificial intelligence.
A video that appears to show Taylor Swift giving away cookware sets, uses deep fake technology to lure in viewers.
All with the click of a button. But what you’re watching isn’t real.
Deep fake technology was also used to create a viral video of celebrities standing up against anti-Semitism.
And videos like these are popping up all over the internet, according to Brandon Laur, digital literacy instructor for The White Hatter, an internet safety education specialist company facilitating workshops and providing presentations on technology safety and privacy subjects.
Watch the story below:
“We just randomly came across an ad in the ether of the algorithms, we were presented with an ad for health supplements. And it seemed fishy,” Laur said.
He’s talking about an online ad targeting seniors.
It claimed Type 2 diabetes could be cured in just 14 days with a supplement.
But it uses a trusted, and well-known CBC journalist, Adrienne Arsenault, and a real doctor to reel in its victims.
“What’s really interesting about this particular scam is the scammer had used a news article and used a news anchor and used their likeness. A real person. And they used a real medical doctor, stole their likeness, and had the two interview one another. To kind of promote and showcase health supplements,” Laur said.
CBC journalists will never appear in advertisements promoting products, and the doctor in the ad is real. Medical fraud targeting seniors is not new. But the use of deepfake technology is making scams hard to spot.
Const. Berla Zwaan with Saanich Police says scammers try to use pressure tactics, even with online ads.
“There’s usually a time constraint. Some sort of emotional manipulation to hurry you up, and to get into that fight or flight and overwhelm mode. Almost everyone I’ve spoken to after they’ve been victimized, I thought I had to do it. But if you slow things down, if you take your time, if you research, if you trust those instincts, you’ll be safe,” Zwaan said.
And she said there are a number of ways people can protect themselves against AI generated fraud.
“If we follow those simple things like create safe pass phrase, multi-factor authentication, good passwords, and take our time,” Zwaan said.
The message to slow down, double-check, and never buy into quick-fix promises will help stop scammers before they collect a buck.
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