Rising Gmail Scams Prompt Google Warning

Google is warning users about the potential for fraudulent attacks via email, a trend exacerbated by the massive development of AI.

“With more than 2.5 million Gmail users, we are currently deploying AI models to strengthen security defences in Gmail, including using new large language models (LLMs) trained to eradicate phishing, malware, and spam,” stated Google, as reported by Forbes.

Cybersecurity firm McAfee noted that AI is not only being used to combat fraud but can also work in reverse, enabling attacks that are increasingly difficult to detect. “As AI becomes more accessible, cybercriminals are using it to create more convincing and personalised scams, making them harder to identify,” McAfee stated.

Meanwhile, data from Mailmodo reveals that spam accounts for more than 46.8% of overall email traffic. This impact has led many companies to seek alternative platforms for workplace communication, such as Teams, Slack, or even standard messaging applications like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Email Alias Tools as a Solution

One solution to avoid fraud is hiding email addresses from malicious actors. Apple has already implemented this through its ‘Hide My Email’ feature, which masks user emails or sets them to private.

“To maintain the confidentiality of your personal email address, you can create a unique and random email address that forwards to your personal account. This means you do not need to share your original email address when filling out forms, signing up for newsletters, or sending emails,” Apple explained regarding the feature.

Apple users are encouraged to utilise this feature to maintain security against email-based fraud. Apple clarified that the feature does not affect the user’s primary email account.

“Users can now create an unlimited number of fake addresses that they may not even check, significantly reducing interaction. They can easily deactivate them without affecting their main email, meaning marketing databases may end up filled with ‘dead’ addresses,” Apple noted.

Google is also reportedly developing a similar feature for Gmail. Reports from Android Authority suggest that a ‘Shielded Email’ feature will create single-use or limited-use email addresses. Messages sent to these aliases will be forwarded to the user’s primary email. It is reported that this feature is already available to some Gmail users.