Phone scams are one of the widespread problems around the world, with many cases of call centers in different countries misleading people. These scammers often pose as government officials or tech support representatives to manipulate victims into transferring money. Normally these calls are aimed at ordinary people, but Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra recently revealed that she has fallen victim to an AI-powered phone scam. The scammer demanded money from her by using the cloned voice of a well-known world leader and claiming that her country was the only ASEAN country to have contributed so far. The Prime Minister recognized the fake vote but was shocked by the sophistication of the scam and pointed out how the threat of AI-enabled fraud is growing.
According to CNN, Paetongtarn Shinawatra did not reveal who the computer was imitating, but said she received a message in a voice identical to that of a well-known leader.
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“The voice was very clear and I recognized it immediately. They first sent a voice clip saying something like: 'How are you? I want to collaborate' and so on,” Paetongtarn said. CNN.
She said she later missed a call from the same number and then received a voice message that initiated the chase: “They sent another voice message asking for a donation and said, 'You're the only country in (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ) that has not yet donated,” I emphasized for a moment, realizing something was wrong.”
She said whoever sent the message was “likely using AI to pick up the voice of the unnamed world leader.”
Scams or scam centers are not uncommon in Southeast Asia. Researchers say transnational crime organizations have exploited technological advances and Myanmar's civil war in recent years to build a multi-billion dollar industry that defrauds people around the world.