Microsoft has published an in-depth guide aimed at helping users identify and defend against scams enhanced by artificial intelligence. The report reveals the latest deceptive tactics cybercriminals are using, like deepfakes, voice cloning, and fake employee profiles, to manipulate victims with increasingly believable schemes.
How to Detect AI-Powered Scams, According to Microsoft
Imagine browsing a legit-looking e-commerce site, complete with product reviews and customer testimonials. It all seems genuine, but it’s actually been generated using AI. Scammers are now able to fabricate entire company backgrounds, brands, websites, and content from scratch, posing a real risk to unsuspecting shoppers.
Spotting Fake Job Interviews
Job seekers should be especially cautious of fraudulent interviews. Criminals might hack real company accounts or create fake recruiters in minutes. Microsoft advises job platforms to implement multi-factor authentication and ID verification to make unauthorized access harder. In video interviews, watch out for unnatural facial movements or odd speech patterns, as these could signal a deepfake.
Too-Good-to-Be-True Job Offers? They Probably Are
If a job listing sounds unrealistically great, it likely is. Always check that websites are legitimate and be wary of offers that involve payments or informal communication channels like WhatsApp or personal Gmail accounts. Never share personal or financial information with unverified sources.
Microsoft’s Quick Assist and Remote Help Fight Back Against Scammers
Remote support tools can also be exploited. That’s why Microsoft added warning messages to Quick Assist, alerting users to potential tech support scams before they grant access. On average, Microsoft blocks about 4,415 suspicious connection attempts daily through Quick Assist, roughly 5.46 percent of all global attempts.
For secure internal remote support, Microsoft recommends using Remote Help instead of Quick Assist, as it is the safer option. They have also added useful security features to the Edge browser, such as typo protection, which detects misspelled URLs like “facebokk.com”, and alerts for domain impersonation with similar-looking names.
These tools are designed to protect against typosquatting, where small typing mistakes lead users to malicious or fake websites.
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