Wrong number scam cases have seen an alarming rise in the US in recent years due to generative AI.
According to cyber security firm McAfee, almost 25 percent of Americans have received mysterious messages from wrong numbers, which potentially were a way to scam the users.
How to detect such messages?
The most easiest way to detect possible scams is when you receive random messaging from unknown number, which puts you in situation that you have never been in.
For example, if someone messages you saying, "Hi, this is Emily from the park!" and when you tell them it’s a wrong number, they persist to engage in a conversation.
These are called pig-butchering scams, that describes how scammers "fatten up" victims emotionally and psychologically before the financial slaughter.
They run long-term operations, as they built the victim's trust, introducing "too-good-to-be-true" opportunities.
According to some experts, the rise of generative AI is making these scams easier and more complicated to detect.
AI allows scammers to craft messages that feel more personal and humane.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in 2024, text message scams cost American $470 million.
Furthermore, forced labour is also to be blamed for the crimes as large-scale operations based in Southeast Asia lead these operations.
These firms lure workers from different poverty-stricken regions under false promises of legitimate employment.
How to protect yourself from wrong number scam?
The best way to protect yourself is to ignore and not respond to any unknown numbers.
If a number from an unfamiliar area code or a region contact you, the ideal thing to do is to block it.
