Is someone calling your elderly parent pretending to be you? UAE experts explain the AI voice scam targeting seniors

Abu Dhabi: Two cybersecurity experts warned of the rise in electronic fraud methods specifically targeting the savings of the elderly, stressing that the real danger lies in the shift in the thinking of fraudsters from merely hacking devices and systems to hacking human trust and manipulating emotions, which are complex psychological tricks that anyone, regardless of their educational level, may fall victim to. They explained that criminal groups exploit the lack of awareness among some elderly people about the rapid technological development of banking applications, and employ artificial intelligence techniques to mimic the voices of children and relatives to induce them to transfer money without thinking. For its part, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that the elderly are among the most targeted groups by cyber fraudsters, who exploit their trust in official authorities and their eagerness to help their family members. It stated that with the development of artificial intelligence, fraudsters have become able to imitate the voices of family members through short audio recordings, and use them to deceive the victim and ask them for money or personal information. In detail, cybersecurity expert Engineer Ahmed Al Zarouni explained that scammers target the elderly for several reasons, most notably that some of them lack sufficient knowledge of modern electronic fraud methods, especially with the rapid development of digital technologies, social media, and banking applications. Scammers also exploit the trusting nature of the elderly. He stressed the importance of realising that older people are not less aware or capable of making decisions, but may be less informed about the evolving methods of fraud, explaining that “the fraudster does not rely only on hacking devices, but relies more on hacking people’s trust and manipulating their feelings, methods that can victimise anyone, regardless of their age or educational level.” Cybersecurity expert Engineer Ahmed Al Zarouni explained that scammers target the elderly for several reasons - some of them lack sufficient knowledge of modern electronic fraud methods. Picture credit: Supplied He reviewed the most prominent methods of electronic fraud targeting the elderly, the most common of which are fraudulent phone calls and messages impersonating official or banking entities, where the fraudster claims there is a problem with the bank account or a need to update the data, then requests bank card information or the verification code sent to the phone. One of the common methods is sending fake links via text messages or the WhatsApp application, claiming that there is a postal shipment, a traffic violation, or a financial reward due, with the aim of getting the victim to enter his personal and banking data. He said: “We are witnessing an evolution in fraud operations using artificial intelligence constructs, where it has become possible to imitate people’s voices and create fake audio and video clips. An elderly person may receive a call that sounds like it is from his son or a relative asking for an urgent money transfer as a result of a problem or accident.” He continued: “There is also investment fraud through promises of high and guaranteed returns, emotional fraud that relies on building fake relationships to gain trust, in addition to fraud through fake technical support, where the fraudster convinces the victim to install an application that allows him to remotely control the phone and access sensitive information.” Al-Zarouni pointed out that the real danger is that fraud methods have become more convincing, and it is no longer easy to distinguish between real and fake messages and calls based on appearance or voice alone. He stressed that protecting the elderly begins with continuous awareness campaigns in a simplified manner that suits their daily use of technology, with the necessity of involving family members in raising their awareness and helping them to recognise modern methods of fraud. He warned against sharing passwords, banking information, or verification codes with anyone, even if they claim to be a bank employee or official agency representative. He also cautioned against clicking on unknown links or downloading applications from unofficial app stores, and warned against making any financial decisions under pressure or in haste, as scammers often use intimidation tactics or feign an emergency to manipulate victims into acting impulsively. He said: “If you receive a call from a family member requesting an urgent money transfer, you should end the call and contact them again via their known number to verify their identity, especially with the spread of voice imitation technologies using artificial intelligence.” He advised activating bank alerts and multi-factor authentication, constantly updating phones and applications, setting an appropriate limit for daily financial transfers, and seeking help from a trusted family member when faced with any