Expert warns of AI-generated images in sextortion schemes
WASHINGTON (TND) — A nationwide warning of sextortion schemes is increasing with the rise of AI.
Cybersecurity and Privacy Attorney Leeza Garber joined The National Desk’s Dee Dee Gatton to break it down.
“The FBI released this alert because the scam has become so widespread and rampant among many users of social media that what happens is that bad actors take benign images that people post to social media, dating apps, blogs, or other internet sources and they use AI machine learning and deep fake applications to turn them into sexualized images and potentially even videos as well without any consent from the victim,” she said. “Then what happens is they use these images and videos as blackmail either to get money from the victim or to have the victim send them actual real sexualized imagery.”
The FBI released a nationwide alert that scammers are using artificial intelligence to create deep fakes of victims in compromising positions.
“The groups that we always worry about are minors and young adults on social media. We have to be so vigilant about what we post and also the privacy settings that we use for social media and for dating applications,” Garber said. “Remember, these bad actors can use very benign, safe images to turn into these sexualized images. The technology is easily available, it's cheap, and it's relatively easy to use. And so we have to be aware of what our internet presence is. I tell my clients, Google yourself frequently and know what your children are doing online as well because they can be victimized and scared are some of the language these scammers are using in their blackmail messages.”