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How to avoid an AI scam that impersonates your voice
How to avoid an AI scam that impersonates your voice

Euronews

time15 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Euronews

How to avoid an AI scam that impersonates your voice

When a group of high-level politicians picked up the phone, they thought they were talking to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Only they weren't – they were speaking with a scammer who used artificial intelligence (AI) to impersonate one of the most senior officials in US President Donald Trump's administration. The imposter contacted three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of US Congress, sending them voice and text messages impersonating Rubio over the encrypted app Signal, according to the story first reported by the Washington Post. The report said that US authorities do not know who is behind the impersonation, but they believe the scammer was trying to manipulate powerful government officials to get access to information or accounts. Scams involving AI are becoming more common as the technology becomes more sophisticated, with 28 per cent of adults from the United Kingdom saying they believe they have been targeted, according to a poll from Starling Bank. But how exactly do fraudsters use AI – and how can these scams be avoided? How are scammers using AI? A new technique for scammers that has emerged with AI is called voice cloning fraud, where scammers can clone a voice with a three-second piece of audio and trick friends or family into thinking that a loved one urgently needs money, according to experts from Australia's Charles Sturt University. The voice samples can come from short videos that have been posted to social media platforms such as TikTok, the experts continued. The AI works to create a realistic replica by capturing a person's speech patterns, accent, and breathing, and can be used to read text with accuracy. An alert from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also described these messages as 'smishing and vishing' because they often contain links that are sent under the guise of moving the conversation to another platform, similar to email phishing. What to do to avoid fraud Cybersecurity experts Matthew Wright and Christopher Schwartz from the US-based University of Rochester recommend that people be 'mindful' of unexpected calls – even from people you know well. Texting or emailing someone ahead of a planned call can help you validate the other person's identity. Counting on caller ID is not enough, Wright and Schwartz wrote for the Conversation, because voice cloners are able to fake that as well. Calls from unknown numbers could also be a risk, according to a fact sheet on caller ID spoofing from the US Federal Communications Commission. It is important to verify the person who is calling or sending a voice message to you, so before responding, research the number and if it's someone you know, call them back at the phone number you have to verify their authenticity, according to advice from the FBI. The FBI suggests checking contact information, email address, or URLs to spot 'slight differences' that scammers could be using to gain your trust. For example, the agency says bad actors can use publicly available photographs in messages, or use 'minor alterations in names' or information to deceive victims. Another tell in a voice message could be that the tone and word choice being used could be different from what you're used to from a known contact, the FBI said. If there is doubt, you could set a secret word or phrase between family members to verify their identities. To prevent being the target of a scam, be mindful of disclosing personal information online, like your birth date, phone number, middle name, or pet names. These facts can be used along with voice cloning to impersonate you with banks or others, Wright and Schwartz said. If you do hear from one of these scammers either by text or phone and engage with them, Wright and Schwartz recommend being aware both of what your intellectual and emotional biases are, because they will likely be exploited by the scammers. If the scammer is impersonating someone you know, think twice about what is being said, they continue. If it is uncharacteristic or confirms your worst fears about someone, proceed with caution.

Hegseth falsely cited weapon shortages in halting shipments to Ukraine, Democrats say
Hegseth falsely cited weapon shortages in halting shipments to Ukraine, Democrats say

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Hegseth falsely cited weapon shortages in halting shipments to Ukraine, Democrats say

Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, unilaterally halted an agreed shipment of military aid to Ukraine due to baseless concerns that US stockpiles of weapons have run too low, it has been reported. A batch of air defense missiles and other precision munitions were due to be sent to Ukraine to aid it in its ongoing war with Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in 2022. The aid was promised by the US during Joe Biden's administration last year. But the Pentagon halted the shipment, with NBC reporting that a decision to do so was made solely by Hegseth, Donald Trump's top defense official and a former Fox News weekend host who has previously come under pressure for sharing plans of a military strike in two group chats on the messaging app Signal, one of which accidentally included a journalist. Related: Hegseth announces new name of US navy ship that honored gay rights icon Harvey Milk Hegseth has now halted US military supplies to Ukraine on three occasions, NBC said, with the latest intervention purportedly coming due to concerns that the US's own weapons stockpile is running too low. When the president was asked about the pause in shipments to Ukraine by a reporter on Thursday, he claimed that it was necessary because 'Biden emptied out our whole country, giving them weapons, and we have to make sure we have enough for ourselves'. A White House spokesperson said last week that the decision 'was made to put America's interests first following a [defense department] review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe. The strength of the United States armed forces remains unquestioned – just ask Iran.' 'This capability review,' Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters on Wednesday, 'is being conducted to ensure US military aid aligns with our defense priorities.' 'We see this as a commonsense, pragmatic step towards having a framework to evaluate what munitions are sent and where,' Parnell added. He also seemed to confirm that there is no current shortage of arms for US forces. 'Let it be known that our military has everything that it needs to conduct any mission, anywhere, anytime, all around the world,' he said. The decision surprised members of Congress, as well as Ukraine and the US's European allies. Democrats said there is no evidence that American weapon stocks are in decline. 'We are not at any lower point, stockpile-wise, than we've been in the three-and-a-half years of the Ukraine conflict,' Adam Smith, a Democrat and ranking member of the House armed services committee, told NBC. Smith said that his staff had 'seen the numbers' on weapon supplies and that there is no justification to suspend aid to Ukraine. The weapons being delayed include dozens of Patriot interceptor missiles that can defend against Russian missile attacks, as well as howitzers and other missile systems. Russia has recently stepped up its bombardment of Ukrainian cities, using missiles and drones to wreak havoc and terror among Ukrainian civilians. The delay in getting help to fend off these attacks is 'painful', a senior Ukrainian lawmaker said last week. 'This decision is certainly very unpleasant for us,' said Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's defense committee, according to Reuters. 'It's painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine.' The Department of Defense did not reply to a request for comment on the aid pause. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each.

City MD kingpin, 5 aides nabbed from gay den-turned-narco hub
City MD kingpin, 5 aides nabbed from gay den-turned-narco hub

Time of India

time2 days ago

  • Time of India

City MD kingpin, 5 aides nabbed from gay den-turned-narco hub

Nagpur: A 24-year-old former garment shop salesman-turned-mastermind of Nagpur's mephedrone (MD) trade was arrested in a dramatic pre-dawn crackdown on Friday. The three-month-long operation to destroy the contraband trade ring led to the arrest of Rahul alias Chill Shankar Lepse and his five aides apart from seizure of Rs5.5 lakh MD. Rahul Chill and his five aides were nabbed from an apartment — the den of gay men — near Chhatrapati Chowk under Dhantoli police jurisdiction. The accused used the apartment as a meeting point to evade police suspicion. The action revealed a vast MD peddling network spread from Nagpur-Mira Road (Thane district). Once a small-time worker at a shop in Mahal, Chill's rose to become Nagpur's MD kingpin. He set up a shoe business after making money from MD trade. Sources said Chill, as a cloth shop employee, went to Mumbai to bring garments where he got acquainted with a MD peddler and subsequently made a fortune. Chill was once arrested in 2019 for possessing MD and remained off the police radar after his release. On Friday, four teams of the crime branch's social service unit and anti-narcotics cell under senior inspectors Rahul Shire and Gajanan Gulhane were formed. The teams comprising head constable Sameer Shaikh, Ashwin Mange, Sheshrao Raut, Kunal Masram, and others started following Chill's aides to track him down. "Chill brings MD by train himself and doesn't rely on anyone. He handed over small quantities of MD to his aides to deliver to clients who hail from different walks of life," said a source, adding the entire deal and supply chains operated through WhatsApp and Signal app. Nagpur police commissioner Ravinder Singal tasked crime branch DCP Rahul Maknikar to bust Chill's gang and expose the supply network. The cops, after identifying Chill's close aides, fanned out to different locations in the city between 2.20am and 6.30am. The operation began with a tip-off about Chill and his accomplices peddling MD across Nagpur, said a source. Acting swiftly, the police laid a trap and raided the third-floor apartment. The raid uncovered 109 grams of MD powder valued at Rs5.45 lakh, cash Rs1.4 lakh, 11 mobile phones, syringes, six vehicles, and other materials collectively valued at Rs16 lakh. Chill's five accomplices Akshay alias Akki alias Bichhu Vinchurkar, Arif Mohammad Abdul Samad Sheikh (32), Sachin Ghode (46), Sarang Chaudhary (26) and Vinayak Deshmukh (32). The group was directly linked to an MD supplier, Irshad, from Mira Road, who remains at large. Chill, identified as the main conspirator, controlled the network, with Akshay and Arif supplying drugs, Sachin providing his flat as base, and Sarang and Vinayak acting as accomplices.

Rubio says he generally uses official channels to avoid impersonators
Rubio says he generally uses official channels to avoid impersonators

The Print

time2 days ago

  • Politics
  • The Print

Rubio says he generally uses official channels to avoid impersonators

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Malaysia, Rubio suggested there had been earlier attempted impersonations. According to a diplomatic cable seen by Reuters on Tuesday, the individual contacted three foreign ministers and two U.S. officials last month, pretending to be Rubio. By Daphne Psaledakis KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday responded to news that an individual used an artificially generated voice to impersonate him by saying that he communicates with counterparts around the world through official channels to avoid such risks. He said 'within days of becoming secretary of state,' a job he took over on Jan. 21, he had had foreign ministers calling the State Department 'asking if I had just texted them.' 'This is just the reality of the 21st century with AI and fake stuff that's going on,' he said. 'Generally I communicate with my counterparts around the world through official channels for a reason, and that's to avoid this.' He added: 'My sense is … the target is the people they're reaching out to to try to trick them into a call or whatever, and who knows what they do with it.' He said more such incidents could be expected. 'I mean, not just me. It'll happen to other people, because all you need is a recording of someone's voice, and you can come up with it. So, yeah, it's just one of the other great challenges posed to us by AI.' According to the cable, in mid-June the imposter contacted the ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress via the Signal messaging app and left voicemails for at least two of them. In one instance, a text message was sent to invite the targeted person to communicate on Signal. In March, the U.S. administration faced a crisis when President Donald Trump's then-national security adviser, Mike Waltz, created a group chat on Signal where a journalist was accidentally added. Information about military strikes on Yemen was subsequently shared in the chat. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, David Brunnstrom and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

Russian convicted of breaching sanctions by sharing knowhow from tech giant ASML
Russian convicted of breaching sanctions by sharing knowhow from tech giant ASML

Time of India

time3 days ago

  • Business
  • Time of India

Russian convicted of breaching sanctions by sharing knowhow from tech giant ASML

By Mike Corder A 43-year-old Russian was convicted Thursday of breaching international sanctions by sharing sensitive information from Dutch semiconductor chip machine maker ASML and another tech company with a person in Russia. The man, whose identity was not released in line with Dutch privacy guidelines, was sentenced in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam to three years' imprisonment. He was acquitted of some of the counts in his indictment, including that he received payment for the information. "Giving advice and sharing technology with Russia is extremely serious," the court said in a written judgment. "It can contribute to strengthening the country's military and strategic capabilities. That has consequences for Ukraine and indirectly for international security and stability." ASML is one of the world's leading makers of machines to manufacture processor chips. The company has an annual turnover of billions of dollars (euros) thanks to its cutting-edge technology. It had no immediate reaction to the judgment. Rotterdam District Court said the suspect shared information about setting up a microchip production line in Russia. Such semiconductor chips have many uses including as vital components in military equipment like drones that are a key part of Moscow's war machine in Ukraine. The suspect showed no emotion as he walked out of the courtroom after his convictions and sentence were read out and translated by a Russian-language interpreter on a speaker phone. He has 14 days to lodge an appeal. At his trial on June 26, the suspect admitted copying files last year and sending them to a person in Russia using the Signal messaging app. "I didn't ask myself if these files were allowed to be sent to Russia," he said in comments quoted in the judgment. "Yes, I gave advice." ASML has been slapped with export restrictions in recent years that are seen as part of a U.S. policy that aims at restricting China's access to materials used to make such chips. The case is not the first time the Dutch high-tech sector has been a target for industrial espionage. In 2020, the Dutch domestic intelligence agency said it had unmasked two Russian spies who were targeting the Netherlands' science and technology sector. One of the spies was seeking information on artificial intelligence, semiconductors and nanotechnology, the agency said at the time. "This technology has civil as well as military applications, including in weapons systems," it added.

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