Better Business Bureau warns of trending AI scams

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – Technology is advancing more and more each year, and so are scammers.

They’re using the advancements in artificial intelligence to better trick people into giving out money or personal information by twisting and altering videos and images.

Angela Guth with the Better Business Bureau explained some of the things we can look out for.

“You’re looking on social media and you see an image; it could be whether or not there’s something wrong with the image maybe it just looks a little too good. maybe they use some sort of filter on it, maybe there’s something blurred in the image,” Guth said.

These scams are trending nationwide.

As we enter the holiday season, scammers try enticing us by using altered images in misleading advertising.

“It does pick up a little more around the holidays, maybe it’s a dog that you’re looking to purchase as a gift sometimes those are A.I.-generated images,” Guth said.

To avoid that, Guth suggested reverse image searching. This technique allows users to search for information about an image without using text.

If that image comes back as anything other than what you were trying to purchase, report it.

The Better Business Bureau has these tips when trying to decipher if an image is real or not.

• Look for typos
• Watch for incorrect or outdated information
• Look out for any repetitive words or phrases
• When in doubt, seek out another source.

Scammers are becoming more advanced, so take extra precautions.

“If you ever catch yourself in a moment to where you feel like something is just not right, always just stop immediately, maybe hang up the phone, and do not engage any further. Just stop what you’re doing and do some research before you continue,” Guth said.

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