Protect Your Account: Staying Safe from AI Impersonation Scams

Protect Your Account: Staying Safe from AI Impersonation Scams

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we live—and unfortunately, it's also changing the way scammers operate. Scammers are using advanced artificial intelligence to trick you into giving away your personal information or sending them money. By using a few seconds of audio from social media or public videos, criminals can create realistic deepfake voices that sound exactly like your family members or trusted customer service representatives.

Understanding how these scams work and what warning signs to look for is your best defense against sophisticated AI-powered fraud.

Common Tactics Criminals Use

• The “Family Emergency” Phone Scam: You receive a frantic phone call from what sounds unmistakably like your child, spouse, or parent, claiming they are in an accident, arrested or stranded, and urgently need money wired or sent via gift cards or cryptocurrency.
• The Fake Bank Fraud Alert: You get a call or text from someone claiming to be from your bank, warning you that your account is compromised. They use sophisticated voice-altering technology to sound professional and reassuring, pressuring you to hand over your login credentials or One-Time Passcodes (OTPs).
• Urgent Business or Tax Demands: Impersonators pose as government officials, utility providers, or company executives demanding immediate payment to avoid legal action or account suspension.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Extreme Urgency and Secrecy: The caller demands immediate action and explicitly tells you NOT to hang up, talk to family members, or call anyone else to verify the story.
• Unusual Payment Requests: They insist on non-traditional payment methods, such as wire transfers to unfamiliar accounts, cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer payment apps, or purchasing gift cards.
• Odd Audio Glitches or Robotic Tone: While AI voice cloning is impressive, listen closely for unnatural robotic cadences, repetitive background noise, unusual pauses, or an abrupt refusal to answer simple personal questions that only the real person would know.
• Caller ID Spoofing: Never trust the caller ID alone. Scammers can easily manipulate technology to make their calls appear as if they are coming from an official business phone number.

Simple Steps to Protect Yourself

• Hang up and Call Back: If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be a family member in distress or a representative from the bank, hang up immediately. Call your family member directly using their known phone number or call us using the official phone number from our public website at www.firstbank.com.
• Establish a Family Safe Word: Create a secret codeword or phrase with close family members that must be shared before any emergency financial help is ever provided over the phone.
• Never share Codes or Passwords: We will NEVER call or text you asking for your full online banking Password, PIN, or the One-Time Passcode (OTP) sent to your phone. If someone asks for these, it is a scam.
• Slow Down: Fraudsters rely on panic and emotional manipulation to bypass your common sense. Always take a deep breath, pause, and independently verify the situation before moving any money.

If you ever suspect you have been targeted by an AI impersonation scam involving your accounts, contact us immediately so we can help secure your finances.