An expert has warned about increasing AI-driven scams and the lack of police action on fraud.
An expert has warned about increasing AI-driven scams and the lack of police action on fraud.
For years, the joke around cyber fraud and online scams has always been that of an African prince emailing to say you’ve won millions, if you only fill out this form.
But as artificial intelligence gets more sophisticated, and the groups running these scams get bigger and more organised, the risk of cyber fraud hitting your pocket is growing by the day - and the police seem ill-equipped to deal with it.
University of Canterbury sociologist and director of Independent Research Solutions, Dr Jarrod Gilbert, wrote for the Herald earlier this week on the growing number of Kiwis being impacted by cyber fraud. A recent Crime and Victims Survey showed that 510,000 New Zealanders had been victims of fraud and deception over the last 12 months.
Gilbert told The Front Page that the technology has grown at such a degree that it’s becoming harder to detect fraud, with scammers now able to take information from social media profiles and fake accounts to then target people with artificial intelligence.
“You might get a message, which we’ve seen examples of, a text message purporting to be from a family member, say asking for details or asking for money.
“In the very near future - in fact, it’s occurring now - you’ll get phone calls, even potential conversations with people you think are a relative or somebody you trust, and therefore the chances of falling victim are clearly increased.
“So, as fast as we can educate, the technology is changing to such a degree that it just sort of feels like we’re behind the curve.”
Despite the rise, Gilbert pointed to an Independent Police Conduct Authority report from 2022 that found police see fraud as “systemically and culturally, as having low importance”.
“I think because it’s just not seen in those traditional ways of crime, we tend to focus on those things that are a little bit more dramatic, a little bit more in your face,” Gilbert said.
Leonardo DiCaprio in fraud-inspired movie Catch Me If You Can.
He referenced the real life case of Frank Abagnale Jr, an American fraudster from the 1970s who was played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Steven Spielberg-directed biopic, Catch Me If You Can. Gilbert said that Abagnale was able to get away from his crimes for years because it started out as cheque fraud that wasn’t seen as important enough to crack down on.
“There is just something about this type of crime that doesn’t hit the headlines as much as it ought, so it’s not as front of mind as it ought, and the enforcement agencies sort of fall into that same track as well. That IPCA report was rather damning and concerning, because we’re, we’re just not set up for this,” Gilbert said.
So why do people fall for scams in the first place, and what sorts of people are falling in? And what role do politicians and banks play in getting legislation across the line to end these scams?
Listen to the full episode of The Front Page podcast to hear more from Dr Jarrod Gilbert on how to tackle cyber fraud.
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am.
