Instances of AI tools being used for fraudulent activities are increasing. In a recent case, a Chinese man fell victim to a cybercriminal who used an AI face-swapping tool to impersonate the victim’s friend. The criminal persuaded the man to transfer over half a million dollars. This incident was reported by Reuters.

CBS News also covered the growing trend of audio AI tools that can replicate someone’s voice. Scammers are using this technology to pose as individuals in distress. CNN reported on a similar incident where scammers attempted to deceive a mother by using a fake voice of her daughter, claiming that she had been kidnapped. Another case, reported by Insider, involved a father receiving a phone call informing him about a serious accident involving his son.

Criminals often exploit these situations by sending fake media to loved ones and demanding money for emergency assistance. This is a modern version of imposter scams, which have been around for a while. According to a report by the FTC in February 2023, American citizens lost approximately $2.6 billion to this type of fraud in 2022. However, the emergence of generative AI has significantly raised the stakes.