Regions Bank warns about deepfake AI scams

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Experts at Regions Bank are warning you about sophisticated scams involving deepfake technology.

Jeff Taylor is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Fraud Forensics at Regions Bank.

He said it’s not a matter of if you’ll be the target of a scam, but when.

Taylor said fraudsters are using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and other large-language models to create voices and images of you or loved ones. Then the scammers will try to use the created video or voice to ask someone for money. Taylor said these scams can be difficult to detect.

“The fraudsters will take snippets of voicemail or things they find online that you post on social media. They’ll take those snippets and then create an audio based on that information,” said Taylor.

If you receive a suspicious call or video message, Taylor recommends trying to verify the identity of the caller. One way to do this is by calling the person back using the number you have saved in your phone. If it’s a video call, Taylor said to ask the person to run their hand over their face.

“The pixelation doesn’t catch up as quickly when you pass your hand through it, and so it’s easier to see that this is a fake video as opposed to a real person,” said Taylor.

To prevent becoming a victim, Taylor recommends setting up a “safe word” with family members. If a scammer pretends to be a loved one, asking for the safe word can help confirm their identity.

If you believe you are a victim of a scam, Taylor urges contacting your bank and local authorities immediately.

During the ongoing government shutdown, Taylor said scammers may also try to take advantage of the situation by creating fake websites. One example is a fraudulent site claiming to help with Social Security payments, which may prompt users to enter sensitive personal information.

“Social Security payments are not impacted by the government shutdown. And if you know that, you don’t have to worry about that. The issue is people don’t know that. They don’t know the details,” said Taylor.

Officials remind the public that government agencies typically do not reach out via text or email. If you receive such a message, it may be a scam.