Phone scams remain a serious issue, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated tactics. They might pretend to be relatives in distress or promise large winnings. Modern technologies like audio deepfakes are helping scammers scale their fraudulent strategies. While victims are found across all demographics, scammers often target older people, assuming they are more gullible and financially stable. Now, AI is fighting back with the British grandmother chatbot, Daisy.
Daisy, developed by the British telecommunications company Virgin Media O2, is a chatbot that can take calls in real-time to automate “scambaiting.” This method involves pretending to be a victim to gather information and waste the scammers’ resources. The collected information can be valuable for law enforcement. Daisy, the AI grandmother, can perfect this strategy because, unlike human investigators who need breaks, the chatbot can operate 24/7.
Daisy has her own phone number, added to the contact lists used by scammers for their calls. In the background, various AI models convert the scammers’ voices into text. A large language model then helps Daisy provide logical responses, wasting the callers’ time. The chatbot was trained using content from Jim Browning, a YouTuber with over 4.3 million subscribers who regularly reports on scams. To ensure credibility, Daisy’s voice was modeled after the grandmother of an employee at VCCP Faith, the London creative agency that developed Daisy for O2.
According to the company, Daisy has already wasted hundreds of hours of phone scammers’ time. The AI grandmother enjoys chatting but never reveals personal information, which is what the scammers are after. Her imaginary cat, Fluffy, is a favorite topic of conversation. The chatbot’s goal is twofold: to reduce scammers’ resources by keeping them occupied and to warn people of potential dangers. People can forward suspicious numbers to help Daisy tackle even more phone scammers.
Daisy is just one of many tools used to combat fraud. The telecommunications provider also uses the campaign to raise awareness of potential threats. By forwarding suspicious numbers, people can contribute to Daisy’s efforts in fighting phone scams.
Phone scams are a persistent issue, with criminals constantly evolving their tactics. The introduction of AI tools like Daisy represents a new approach to combating these scams. By using technology to outsmart scammers, companies can protect vulnerable populations, especially older individuals, who are often the primary targets. Daisy’s ability to engage scammers without revealing sensitive information makes her an effective tool in the fight against phone fraud. As technology continues to advance, it is likely that more innovative solutions like Daisy will emerge to help protect people from scams.
Overall, Daisy represents a significant step forward in the fight against phone scams. By leveraging AI technology, companies can better protect individuals from falling victim to fraud. As scammers continue to develop new strategies, tools like Daisy will be essential in keeping up with their tactics and ensuring that people are aware of the risks associated with phone scams.
In conclusion, phone scams are a growing concern, but with the help of AI tools like Daisy, there is hope for reducing their impact. By using technology to engage scammers and waste their time, companies can protect vulnerable individuals and raise awareness of potential threats. Daisy’s success in wasting scammers’ time and preventing them from targeting real victims highlights the potential of AI in combating phone fraud. As technology continues to evolve, it will be crucial to develop more tools like Daisy to stay ahead of scammers and protect people from falling victim to their schemes.