Unbelievable, the New Tricky Scam That Might Dupe Montanans
New technology is making it's way into every industry. When new technology is introduced, people are finding ways to use it to try to dupe people out of their hard earned money. We have been warning you of scams that have been popping up in Montana lately. There is the traffic light scam, that tried to get me to pay them or download some sort of computer virus. The Northwestern Energy scam, targeting people at the worst possible time. There is also the Missoula banking scam that has been going on for a while. I still get texts saying my account is at risk, even though I don't have an account with that bank.
Latest Scam That Could Hit Montana
The latest scam that is being reported can be a very scary one. The Federal Trade Commission, the FTC, has issued an alert about scammers using a artificial intelligence (AI), to fool people into thinking there is a family emergency. According to the FTC this is how it works:
You get a call. There's a panicked voice on the line. It's your grandson. He says he's in deep trouble — he wrecked the car and landed in jail. But you can help by sending money. You take a deep breath and think. You've heard about grandparent scams. But darn, it sounds just like him. How could it be a scam? Voice cloning, that's how.
This is A Scary Scam
The scammers are using "voice cloning" to make phone calls sound like it is someone you know or a relative and they are in trouble or hurt and need help. There are tips that will let you know it may not be a legitimate phone call. If the caller asks you to wire them money, use cryptocurrency, or buy them gift cards this could tip you off to it being a scam.
Here is How To Deal With This Scam If It Happens To You
The best way to deal with a situation like this if you have any reservations about something like this being legitimate is to hang up and call the person directly yourself. You could also talk to the person and ask them questions only they would know. Please report any scams to the FTC. Be aware Montana. With every knew technology there will always be a new way for people to try to get your hard earned money.