GMAIL users have been given a red alert warning over an alarming new scam that tries to steal your data.
The “devastating” sophisticated attacks that utilise AI are designed to dupe you to try and steal your personal information and hijack your account.
2
Initial warnings about these threats were sounded back in May last year, when the FBI in the US circulated an alert warning users about a rise in AI-fuelled scams.
Victims saw not just funds stolen from their accounts but also their identities sickeningly snatched by online fraudsters.
At the time the alarm was raised, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp said: “Attackers are leveraging AI to craft highly convincing voice or video messages and emails to enable fraud schemes against individuals and businesses alike.
“These sophisticated tactics can result in devastating financial losses, reputational damage, and compromise of sensitive data.”
Gmail has more than 1.8 billion active users worldwide, making it the most popular email service globally.
Since these initial warnings, the number of affected individuals has surged.
New scam operations often commence with phone calls that suggest your Gmail account is at risk of compromise, according to security experts at Malwarebytes.
Then, a seemingly authentic email from someone claiming to be Google is sent to your Gmail.
The experts explained: “The goal is to convince the target to provide the criminals with the user’s Gmail recovery code, claiming it’s needed to restore the account.”
Once this is done, criminals not only have access to your Gmail but also to a tonne of other services, which could lead to your identity being stolen.
Sam Mitrovic, a Microsoft solutions consultant, was targeted and wrote a full blog post about his experience.
He said he received a notification to approve a Gmail account recovery attempt and that this was followed by a call which sounded genuine, with the caller highlighting suspicious activity on his account.
Luckily for Sam, however, he realised something was wrong and instantly hung up the phone.
Sam worries many people are likely to fall for these sorts of scams and said they were becoming more and more legitimate-looking.
How to avoid AI Gmail phishing
HERE is Malwarebytes’ advice to avoid being scammed by AI-fuelled Gmail schemes.
- Never click on links or download files from unexpected emails or messages.
- Don’t enter personal information on a website unless you are certain it is legitimate.
- Use a password manager to autofill credentials only on trusted sites.
- Monitor your accounts for signs of unauthorised access or data leaks.
- Verify security alerts by visiting your Google Account page directly instead of using links in emails.
- Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts.
- Protect your devices with up-to-date security software (such as Malwarebytes Premium Security), and use text protection and text message filtering on your mobile device.
He explained: “The scams are getting increasingly sophisticated, more convincing and are deployed at ever larger scale.
“People are busy and this scam sounded and looked legitimate enough that I would give them an A for their effort.”
The FBI has also warned people about unsolicited emails and text messages which contain links to seemingly legitimate websites that then ask visitors to log in.
Alongside account recovery scams, these login scams often direct you to a fake website that is especially designed to steal your credentials.
If you receive a call from Google and are then sent a link, do be very careful before you click or hand over any details as this is likely to be a scam.
This comes as research from Barclays suggested that one in every five Brits lost money to scammers last year.
2
