AI can be used to clone voices and even make algorithmic movies, but we all need to be vigilant about any approaching contact, from emails and texts to calls and FaceTimes. These devices allow criminals to recreate the accents of family members, colleagues, and even government officials with strange accuracy. All that is required is a small audio or video tape.  ,  ,
Nevertheless, by creating a healthy word as a preventative measure, you may prevent AI-empowered schemes in their songs.  ,
How sound copying frauds and deepfakes work ,  ,
A typical AI fraud starts with a frightened call or voice information from a loved one – or, at least, people speaking in your loved one’s voice. Video calls with a “” can also occur, meaning the scammers use AI to simulate both video and audio of one of your emails. The voice on the other end may claim they’ve been in an accident, are in legal difficulty, or have immediate financial help. Because the voice sounds exactly like your child, spouse, or boss, your instinct is to react quickly and never think before you take action. In just a few times, you’ve fallen prey to the hoax by taking activities like wiring cash or sharing sensitive data.  ,
How cybercriminals create deepfakes
With just a little sound sample—taken from social media, voice recordings, or even a quick phone call—criminals may create false messages that sound exactly like someone you trust. The same functions for film deepfakes. There might be a substantial amount of movie images of yourself posted online. Today’s AI techniques only need around 30 hours of audio and video data to create compelling replicas.
Establish a healthy expression to keep your family safe
A healthy expression is a pre-agreed code word or phrase only you and your trusted party know. If you ever receive an urgent call or message, asking for the healthy expression is a quick way to verify the person’s personality.  ,
Who should have a healthy term?  ,
Safe terms aren’t only for families, they can be beneficial in some settings. Here are some organizations that may acquire setting up a healthy word system:  ,
- Families: Parents and children can use safe words to verify identity in emergency situations or potential kidnapping scams ( commonly called grandparent scams ).  ,
- Colleagues and teams: Businesses may establish safe words to ensure economic transactions, sensitive info requests, or serious company-wide messages.  ,
- Nearby friends: Friends can also have a validation system in place, particularly if one is traveling or in a prone position.  ,
- Older adults and their caregivers: Scammers generally target older adults, but having a healthy word between an elderly person and their trusted family or caregivers is essential.  ,
- Online communities and groups: Any business that relies on virtual conversation can benefit from a secure term to avoid imitation, especially if the party has access to sensitive personal information.  ,
How to set up a healthy term system to protect against AI
- Make it unique. Pick a word, phrase, or problem that wouldn’t be simple for an observer to think. Avoid frequent credentials, birthday, or pet names. Inside jokes are ok if they are indeed difficult for an outside party to know.
- Keep it private. Share your secure expression in person or via a secure, encrypted route. Always post it online or explain it in public settings. You can keep a healthy word in your encrypted password supervisor vault. If everyone posts a hint for the healthy word online, even if it wasn’t purposeful, change the healthy word.  ,  ,
- Use multiple protected terms, but make them each unique. While people should have a healthy term, workplaces can benefit, too. Colleagues and teams should create verification rules for sensitive or financial requests. Don’t use the same healthy word among various groups, yet.
- Exercise using the secure expression. Like any safety measure, a healthy expression only works if citizens remember to use it. Sometimes check your healthy word system to make certain everyone involved recalls the procedure. Testing it doesn’t have to been terrible, it could be a regular activity.
Extra confirmation steps ,
While a healthy term is an excellent first line of defense, these are more ways to verify someone’s identity:
- Call up using a trusted number: Stand up and call the person again using a known number stored in your contacts. Hackers can spoof phone numbers so you should call back from the phone number you have stored, even if the person on the other end begs you to stay on the line.  ,  ,
- Video verification: Ask to switch to a video call if possible. While video deepfakes can happen, it is less likely that a scammer has both a video deepfake and an audio clone created. Even still, ask for your safe word.  ,
- Ask personal questions: Have a secondary verification method, like a question only the real person would know the answer to. This can help you verify the person beyond a single safe word or phrase.  ,
Don’t panic and Stay Safe Online ,  ,
Deepfake scams are sophisticated, but you can keep your head calm and take precautions like safe words. A safe word is a simple, powerful, and very human tool anyone can use to verify identity and prevent scams. Whether with your family, friends, or coworkers, take the time today to establish a safe word because it’s our best defense against AI-powered scams.  ,
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