Scammers Use AI To Target Gmail Users: How To Stay Protected

In this digital era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool that assists in our day-to-day routines and makes our work easier. However, it is also being exploited by scammers to scam people. 

Day-by-day cybercrime is increasing and now scammers are targeting Gmail users. According to reports, there are over 2.5 billion Gmail accounts. These massive numbers attract scammers, who use a technique known as super realistic AI scam call. 

Recently, Sam Mitrovic, a Microsoft Solutions Consultant and Founder of CloudJoy has shared his experience of almost falling victim to this kind of scam. 

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Mitrovic received a notification to approve a Gmail account recovery attempt. The notification shows that the request was originated from the United States. He rejected the request and after 40 mins he got a call. 

“I denied the request and about 40 minutes later received a missed call. The missed call showed caller ID as Google Sydney,” said Mitrovic in a blog post. 

Again a week later, he received another notification, followed by a phone call.

The caller, speaking in an American accent and pretending to be from Google support, claimed that there was suspicious activity on his account for a week and his data was downloaded by them.

Mitrovic initially suspected something was wrong and decided to investigate further. So, he Google the phone number which leads him to official Google documentation.

After that, he asked the caller to send him an email. Shortly, he received an email confirming the issue, and since it showed that it originated from a Google domain, adding to the scam’s credibility.

During the phone call, the caller greeted him with a ‘Hello’, which Mitrovic ignored at first. About 10 seconds later, the caller again greeted him and that’s when Mitrovic realised it was an AI-generated voice. 

“The caller said Hello, I ignored it then about 10 seconds later, then said Hello again. At this point I released it as an AI voice as the pronunciation and spacing were too perfect,” Mitrovic said. 

He soon confirmed that he was the target of a spoofing attempt designed to take over his Gmail account. 

How To Stay Protected

Users need to be aware and act calmly in such situations to protect themselves from this kind of scam. 

Google rarely contacts via phone call regarding personal accounts, usually preferring email. If you ever come across such a situation stay calm and verify the phone number. 

Use two-factor authentication methods for your account to enhance its security. Never share your personal information such as passwords or OTP. 

Avoid clicking links from unknown sources.

Google has also issued measures to help avoid phishing messages and content.

Global Signal Exchange

Considering the increasing number of cybercrimes that impact users’ lives, Google has announced a partnership with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and DNS Research Federation (DNSRF) to launch the Global Signal Exchange (GSE). 

According to Google, by joining forces and establishing a centralised platform, GSE aims to improve the exchange of abuse signals, enabling faster identification and disruption of fraudulent activities across various sectors, platforms, and services.