As the holiday season approaches, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is cautioning residents about the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) by scammers. In her Holiday Scams Campaign, she has reissued an alert highlighting how AI is being used to create convincing deepfake audio and video scams.
Nessel stated, "Artificial intelligence can be used legitimately as a tool to help make our everyday lives easier. It is unfortunate that this technology is being exploited by bad actors intent on scamming and defrauding the public. This alert will help you avoid falling victim to con artists who use voice cloning tricks to play on your emotions and steal your money."
The Attorney General's office warns that scammers are able to clone voices using audio data from social media posts or videos. These fraudsters then impersonate loved ones in distress, demanding urgent financial assistance through spoofed phone numbers.
To protect against such scams, Nessel suggests several precautions:
- Establish a family verification phrase: Use a code word or phrase known only within your family for identity confirmation during suspicious calls.
- Do not trust caller ID: Scammers can manipulate phone numbers to appear legitimate.
- Verify the situation: If something seems amiss, hang up and call back using a known number.
- Beware of unusual payment requests: Scammers often request payment via cryptocurrency, gift cards, or money transfers—methods that are difficult to trace or reverse.
The alert also identifies common scam warning signs like high-pressure tactics, fear-based messages or enticing offers, and demands for sensitive information or unconventional payment methods.
For those who have fallen victim to scams:
- Notify local law enforcement.
- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357.
- Report fraudulent charges to banks, credit card companies, or payment apps.
- Contact issuers of any gift card or money transfer service involved.
Victims may also reach out to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at 877-765-8388 or file complaints online. Additional tips can be found on the Attorney General’s Recognizing a Scam page and all holiday scam alerts are available on the Department of Attorney General’s website.
Alerts Sign-up