Gmail alerts 2.5 billion users about AI-driven phishing scams: How to protect yourself

2.5 billion Gmail users may have already been targeted by malicious actors who are using artificial intelligence to dupe users

Hyderabad: Google has sent a security warning to 2.5 billion Gmail users about sophisticated AI-powered phishing attacks, raising serious questions about the vulnerability of personal data.

According to a Forbes report, 2.5 billion Gmail users may have already been targeted by malicious actors who are using artificial intelligence to dupe users and prompt them to hand over crucial personal data, including credentials for their bank accounts, social media, etc.

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The report suggests that the fraudsters call potential victims, posing as Google support executives, from convincing numbers to defraud people.

How the AI Scam Works:

• Potential victims receive calls from numbers that appear to be legitimate Google support lines.
• The AI callers, which many claim sound convincingly like human voices.
• They convince potential victims that their Gmail account has been compromised.
• They then send “recovery emails” from IDs that appear to be official Google ones.
• Victims are asked to enter a verification code, after which the cybercrooks gain access to their Gmail accounts.
• According to personal accounts from people who have nearly fallen prey to these phishing attacks, as reported by Forbes, the entire process of the attacks is very realistic and extremely difficult to identify.

Unlike traditional phishing scams, which rely on poorly executed emails and suspicious links, AI-powered scams are more sophisticated, with a better use of language and incredibly realistic voices.

How Not to Fall Prey:

• Do not trust unsolicited calls from any executive claiming to be from “support teams.”
• Verify your accounts directly through Gmail.
• Gmail will never ask for verification codes to be shared over the phone. Never share verification codes.
• Report suspicious activity to Gmail.