Scammers are increasingly deploying AI to steal money as bots are rapidly improving at imitating real humans such as relatives in phone calls or over texts.
But there are tricks that can help you identify whether you’re dealing with a dangerous AI bot, experts say.
The car wash test
One very simple method is called the “car wash test”, says Ben Foster, chief executive at the SEO Works, a Sheffield-based marketing company.
He says:
“To catch out a machine, you need to move away from a normal conversation. You could try the car wash test that has been proven to trip up AI. Ask ‘I want to wash my car. The car wash is 50 metres away. Should I walk or drive?’ Most AI recommend walking due to the environmental benefits, which would leave the car at home.”
Asking unexpected questions is important, as simply asking “Are you AI?” does not work, says Katrina Young, strategist at the digital consulting agency KYC Digital.
“The better approach is a pattern interrupt: say something unexpected, pause mid-sentence, give a false name or detail,” she says.
Use a different number
Foster also recommends using a second way to check who you’re talking to. If you receive a worrying call, you should hang up and use a trusted number or a different app to reach the person who supposedly contacted you.
Rohit Parmar-Mistry, owner of AI automation firm Pattrn Data, offers the blunt rule of thumb that you should never trust urgency and never approve money, passwords or codes without an independent check.
Look out for voice patterns
AI consultant Colette Mason says it’s also important to look out for suspicious voice patterns, such as awkward pauses, odd reactions to unexpected questions and robotic word stress on phishing calls.
Safe phrases
It can also help to agree a safe phrase with family, Mason, who owns the consultancy Clever Clogs AI, adds.
