With AI advancement and deepfake/voice cloning becoming so realistic and cheap - We can't really train our non-tech parents to be wary of every threat actor in this evolving space. How is everyone solving this for their retired parents? Are there companies which do insurance/protection services against such scams - because AFAIK banks don't help in such cases where someone made you lets say give a OTP/password and got your money transferred out.
Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
1–10 of 13 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#2> in such cases where someone made you lets say give a OTP/password and got your money transferred out.
An easy prevention against this is to remind everyone to never, ever disclose personal details over the phone. Especially when someone else, even a loved one, solicits you for them. This was a problem pre-AI, it will get worse post-AI, but the general mistake is still avoidable. Teach people what to avoid and they will avoid it accordingly.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#3Shit, how do I protect myself from evolving AI-based scams? I'm middle-aged and not in the IT industry anymore, and scams like the Booking.com (I think it was?) one where the scammers were able to send valid emails almost got me already.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#4Why are you considering your parents as some sort of special case? Your question is equally appropriate regarding anyone of any age.
In any case, I would advise everyone (including your parents) to have a safe word/phrase such that everyone knows that if that word or phrase is not used in a important communication, then it isn't really from them.
Beyond that, the usual safety rules apply: never click on links, never talk to businesses if they call you (look up their number and call them back if it seems important), etc.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#5> in such cases where someone made you lets say give a OTP/password and got your money transferred out. An easy prevention against this is to remind everyone to never, ever disclose personal details over the phone. Especially when someone else, even a loved one, solicits you for them. This was a problem pre-AI, it will get worse post-AI, but the general mistake is still avoidable. Teach people what to avoid and they…
Recently someone I know got a call where they mimicked their child's voice using AI and asked them to send immediate money otherwise child will be in danger. This has got me into thinking - my parents would also do the same for me/ and everyone's would-- add deepfake into it -- how the fuck we are support to assume people won't give emotional response? forget about personal details, people who care about you can might directly do a transfer.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#6Why are you considering your parents as some sort of special case? Your question is equally appropriate regarding anyone of any age. In any case, I would advise everyone (including your parents) to have a safe word/phrase such that everyone knows that if that word or phrase is not used in a important communication, then it isn't really from them. Beyond that, the usual safety rules apply: never click on links, never…
So, my reasoning is little stupid but it goes like this. I am in my 30s. Let's say if I lose all my money in a scam also - I have time to earn it back and still make it back. Whereas our elders (parents are 60+) who have savings and rely on their savings and can't really earn now - and also have lot of medical bills to pay with their age ==== for them it's like one-shot ending right? That's why I considered them as special case.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#7> in such cases where someone made you lets say give a OTP/password and got your money transferred out. An easy prevention against this is to remind everyone to never, ever disclose personal details over the phone. Especially when someone else, even a loved one, solicits you for them. This was a problem pre-AI, it will get worse post-AI, but the general mistake is still avoidable. Teach people what to avoid and they…
Recently someone I know got a call where they mimicked their child's voice using AI and asked them to send immediate money otherwise child will be in danger. This has got me into thinking - my parents would also do the same for me/ and everyone's would-- add deepfake into it -- how the fuck we are support to assume people won't give emotional response? forget about personal details, people who care about you can migh…
> my parents would also do the same for me/ and everyone's would
Mine wouldn't? That's an obvious phone scam, they would call me directly before wiring $500 to some unproven weirdo over the phone.
> how the fuck we are support to assume people won't give emotional response?
For the same reason you assume people won't immediately become greedy when a Nigerian Prince emails them about an excellent opportunity to earn a few million dollars. Common sense has to play a part or else you're going to be manipulated with or without AI.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#8Shit, how do I protect myself from evolving AI-based scams? I'm middle-aged and not in the IT industry anymore, and scams like the Booking.com (I think it was?) one where the scammers were able to send valid emails almost got me already.
That's also a fear I have. But having grown up on internet it helps in adjusting to these changes fast. Secondly, I got a degree in CS and been a developer for a decade so yeah I know a video can be a deepfake instinctively. It's harder to scam us than a generation who retired already when deepfake/deepvoicecloning arrived and may be never had a CS exposure.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#9Why are you considering your parents as some sort of special case? Your question is equally appropriate regarding anyone of any age. In any case, I would advise everyone (including your parents) to have a safe word/phrase such that everyone knows that if that word or phrase is not used in a important communication, then it isn't really from them. Beyond that, the usual safety rules apply: never click on links, never…
So, my reasoning is little stupid but it goes like this. I am in my 30s. Let's say if I lose all my money in a scam also - I have time to earn it back and still make it back. Whereas our elders (parents are 60+) who have savings and rely on their savings and can't really earn now - and also have lot of medical bills to pay with their age ==== for them it's like one-shot ending right? That's why I considered them as s…
That's not stupid reasoning, and I don't know you or your parents. But in the short snippet you wrote, I was interpreting your question as being based on the supposition that your parents are somehow too naive or inexperienced to understand and protect themselves. That's the part that I question.
Particularly since the answer to your question is no different than if you asked the question about anybody of any age.
Re: Ask HN: How to protect old parents from evolving AI based scams?
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Recently someone I know got a call where they mimicked their child's voice using AI and asked them to send immediate money otherwise child will be in danger. This has got me into thinking - my parents would also do the same for me/ and everyone's would-- add deepfake into it -- how the fuck we are support to assume people won't give emotional response? forget about personal details, people who care about you can migh…
> my parents would also do the same for me/ and everyone's would Mine wouldn't? That's an obvious phone scam, they would call me directly before wiring $500 to some unproven weirdo over the phone. > how the fuck we are support to assume people won't give emotional response? For the same reason you assume people won't immediately become greedy when a Nigerian Prince emails them about an excellent opportunity to earn a…
The same attack used to get SMS 2fa tokens can be used to capture incoming calls from your parents or grand parents. How is calling "you" going to protect you?