- FBI warns criminals to use GenAI deepfakes in kidnapping and extortion scams
- Attackers generate fake proof of life videos from social media images and demand ransom money.
- Citizens have been advised to limit their online presence, set family passwords and contact loved ones before paying.
Hackers use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to create convincing deepfake videos that are then used as proof of life in kidnapping and extortion scams.
This is according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which recently released a new public service announcement (PSA) warning citizens not to fall for the trap.
Here’s how the scam works: Criminals pick a target and search social media and other sources for photos and videos. When they find enough information, they feed it to an artificial intelligence tool to create videos and photos of the loved ones of their kidnapped victims. They then contact the victims and demand an immediate ransom to “free” their hostage.
How to defend yourself
The scam may not be widespread yet, but it has been around for a while. the guardian I talked about it two years ago. But as artificial intelligence improves by the minute, these scams are likely to become more common and provoke a response from the FBI.
The FBI also said those photos and videos weren’t perfect. With a little pixel searching, they can be identified as fake. But fraudsters know this too, which is why the messages they send are often time-limited and expire before any meaningful analysis can be performed:
“Examples of these inaccuracies include missing tattoos or scars and incorrect body proportions,” the government’s notice said. “Criminals sometimes deliberately send these photos using timed messaging features to limit the time victims have to analyze the images.”
To defend against these attacks, the FBI first suggests that citizens pay more attention to their privacy: when posting photos on the Internet or sharing personal information with strangers while traveling. That’s why they suggest you enter a keyword that only they know and above all try to contact your loved ones before making payments.
