AI and Romance Scams: Protecting Yourself from Online Deception

Dangers of online deception, particularly catfishing scams from romance scammers, are shared as the host reads insights from guest Adam Dodge, who specializes in combating tech-enabled abuse through his organization, EndTAB.Hear the evolution of catfishing tactics, now incorporating advanced AI technologies like deepfakes and voice cloning to create convincing but fake live videos. Listeners are educated on how to spot and avoid these scams, with practical tips such as observing unnatural eye and lip movements, checking for consistent lighting, and scrutinizing behavior for red flags. The host stresses the importance of sharing this knowledge, especially with those vulnerable to online dating scams, to foster a safer online environment for all.LESSONS LEARNEDAsk the Person to Stand Up: Face-swapping apps can generate realistic heads and hands but currently can't create an entire body. Ask the person to stand up.Watch Eye and Lip Movements: Unnatural eye blinks, facial expressions, or lips that don't sync perfectly with spoken words. Check the Lighting: In face-swapped videos, the lighting and shadows on the face often don't match those in the background. Ask the person to show their real background.Focus on Behavior: Scammers typically use love bombing, escalate relationships quickly, and maintain constant communication. The biggest red flag is when they ask for money, gifts, or intimate images. RESOURCESAware and Prepared Podcast Weekly Email: Show notes and links to resources mentioned in each episode. Sign up at awareandprepared.life bottom of the website.EndTAB (Ending Tech-Enabled Abuse): endtab.org and LinkedIn and InstagramArticle From Wired on Real-Time AI Manipulated Videos***Don’t forget to review the show (bottom of all episodes) - is it helpful, practical, insightful?***Book Mandi for a keynote and workshops to share her real life story, how she healed and practical takeaways to inspire and empower your audience.Find Mandi on AwareAndPrepared.Life or Instagram @WomenAwareAndPreparedSend me a message