Beware of New Child Kidnapping Scams: Do Not Fall Victim
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - It is essential to remain calm and avoid panic if you receive a phone call claiming your child has been kidnapped or involved in an accident. Such calls may actually be part of a growing fraudulent scheme currently prevalent in many regions.
This modus operandi utilises AI-based voice cloning and employs various social engineering tactics. For instance, scammers may impersonate a victim’s child claiming they have been abducted or have been in a car crash.
Megan Squire, a cyber threat intelligence researcher at the consulting firm F-Secure, stated that this type of fraud is remarkably easy to execute. It requires only 10 seconds of clear audio to create a convincing voice clone.
Typically, the original audio is harvested by scanning social media profiles or video-sharing platforms such as YouTube. “If you have been interviewed by the media, or if you possess a large, public social media account containing videos, these tools can extract audio clips and create a voice clone to say entirely different things,” she explained, as cited by PCMag on Tuesday.
Identifying targets for these scams is also increasingly simple. Squire confirmed that scammers do not require detective-like skills; they can easily identify individuals connected to a specific account, such as parents who frequently comment on the same posts.
In some instances, AI tools may not even be necessary, as scammers use acting skills to introduce various characters into their schemes. “For example, they might fabricate a scenario where a child has been in a horrific accident and you now need to speak with a police officer or a lawyer. They can be very creative, reminiscent of acting or improvisation,” she noted.
These scams usually aim to coerce victims into paying large sums of money, often via cryptocurrency. The number of victims is significant; F-Secure records that 56% of respondents experience online fraud every month, with 52% being victims who have lost money as a result.
The fraud relies on exploiting the panic of the person being contacted. For example, a parent hearing that their child has been kidnapped or injured may panic and fail to verify the situation by attempting to call their child’s mobile phone.
However, Squire emphasises the importance of remaining sceptical. It is best to stay calm and follow up on the call until the truth can be verified. “I know it is difficult because you might think, ‘I am not a good parent; if I question my child and they are actually sick or hurt, I am terrible.’ You will also feel terrible if you lose $30,000. Take your time, breathe in deeply, and breathe out,” said Squire.