© Tinder
650 million. This is the amount Americans lost in romance scams in 2023 according to the FBI count. And the trend clearly risks getting worse with the democratization of AI which is increasingly used by cybercriminals.
Who are the Yahoo Boys ?
In this context, the scams called “Yahoo Boys” ; are gaining momentum. These malicious actors, often originating from Nigeria (but not exclusively) start by establishing a relationship of trust with their targets. Little by little, romantic interactions are established at a distance. In the past, scammers simply sent fake photos, but now they're taking it to the next level with deepfakes.
Fox Newsin fact details their ploy to establish an additional level of trust with the victims. They use two smartphones or a combination of a smartphone and a computer. One device makes the video call, while the other runs face-swapping software.
Thus, a digital mask is superimposed on the real face of the scammer. The imitation is then credible and it even makes it possible to follow and imitate movements and expressions in real time. In general, the scammer uses his own voice, but he can also use more sophisticated technologies that better match his physique.
Good reflexes to adopt< /h2>
As we will have understood, if the target is not aware of the danger, he can easily be fooled and lose a lot of money in the affair. It is therefore important to adopt good reflexes so as not to be fooled.
When talking to someone you meet online, try to find out their identity. You simply had to ask him and see if his profile matches. Our colleagues also suggest:
Always confirm the identity of people you meet online during video calls by asking them to perform unpredictable actions in real time, like writing a specific word on a piece of paper and showing it to the camera.
It goes without saying that if a person quickly asks for money or sensitive personal information, you should not accept. Hide your data on social media by changing privacy settings that could be used to create deepfake scams.
Keep up to date with the latest scams in progress, and you can also regularly read information on the main threats of the moment on Presse-citron. If you have been cheated, you should file a complaint quickly and/or file an objection with your bank. Finally, you can report the scam on the Pharos platform, which will help protect other internet users.
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