A fake AI voice was used to impersonate a CEO’s voice to demand a fraudulent transfer of US$243,000 (via WSJ—paywall).
AI Fraud
The CEO of an energy company in the U.K. thought he was talking to his boss on the phone. In reality, he was talking to AI software used to mimic his boss’s voice.
The caller said the request was urgent, directing the executive to pay within an hour, according to the company’s insurance firm, Euler Hermes Group SA…The attackers responsible for defrauding the British energy company called three times, Mr. Kirsch said. After the transfer of the $243,000 went through, the hackers called to say the parent company had transferred money to reimburse the U.K. firm.
They then made a third call later that day, again impersonating the CEO, and asked for a second payment. Because the transfer reimbursing the funds hadn’t yet arrived and the third call was from an Austrian phone number, the executive became suspicious. He didn’t make the second payment.
It’s a fascinating glimpse into what experts believe is the first known AI-enabled crime. Investigators haven’t found suspects in this case.
Further Reading:
Can we now fall out of love with biometrics for security? It’s a digital world and EVERYTHING can be faked. You only have to watch a Mission Impossible movie to know that??