By Mallory Mattingly
A new article from Parents disclosed that grandparents are having a tough time distinguishing between fake and real artificial intelligence.
A study from the University of Michigan found that “92% of adults age 50 and older agreed they want to know if the information they receive is from a person or generated by AI, and 81% said they want to learn more about the risks of AI.”
According to WFLA, a woman named Sharon Brightwell “received a call from a number that looked like her daughter’s. On the other end of the line, a young woman was sobbing, claiming to have been in a car crash.”
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“The caller said she had hit a pregnant woman while texting and driving and claimed her phone had been taken by police. A man then got on the line, claiming to be an attorney representing her daughter. He told Sharon that her daughter was being detained and needed $15,000 in bail money in cash,” the news outlet reported.
That is what is known as “grandparent scams, a person claiming to be a grandchild (or child in the case of Brightwell) asks for money, often with a claim that they are in legal trouble or have been in an accident,” Parents reported.
The calls are even more convincing for grandparents because of voice cloning.
“We really encourage people to not act in urgency, but to stop, run it by another person, or call a number back that you find on your own to verify, but really not to take any immediate action with someone on the phone that you’re not certain of,” Jessica Johnston, senior director of the Center for Economic Well-Being at the National Council on Aging (NCOA), told Parents.
So, how can you help protect your grandparents from scams like these?
- Create a family password or phrase that only you and your family members would know. That way, when your grandparents receive a call, they can ask for the keyword to confirm if it’s AI or a relative.
- Keep social media accounts private. This will help limit online information from being spread.
- Don’t take action immediately. Encourage your grandparents to reach out to other family members for confirmation and help.
- Discuss risks openly. Share the dangers of AI scams with your grandparents. That way, they are aware and alert to any weird calls.
- Be skeptical. It’s okay to be wary of any calls that aren’t normal. In fact, this is encouraged to remain safe.
In a world surrounded by AI technology, grandparents are unsure how to navigate whether something is real or fake. Now, you can help your family members stay alert and make the right choices when distinguishing between real and fake AI.
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