Scamming the Scammers

Cyber security experts at Macquarie University have developed a quirky solution to combat global phone scams and reduce the staggering $55 billion lost annually to criminals. Using an AI-driven system named Apate, the researchers have created multi-lingual chatbots that engage scam callers in lengthy conversations, effectively wasting their time and resources.

Inspired by a personal encounter with a scammer during a family lunch, Professor Dali Kaafar, Executive Director of Macquarie University's Cyber Security Hub, conceived the idea of automating the process. He realised that by engaging scammers in entertaining conversations, vulnerable individuals could be protected, while also disrupting the scam-calling business model.

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The chatbots, equipped with Natural Language Processing capabilities, engage in believable conversations with scammers, effectively scamming the scammers themselves. With patents pending for this tech, Professor Kaafar and his team are determined to break the profitability of the scam-calling industry.

Phone scams, orchestrated by organised crime groups, often go unpunished, resulting in substantial financial losses for victims. Despite telecommunications providers' efforts to block scam calls, millions of Australians still fall prey to these scams. The rise of voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP) technology enables scammers to mask their location easily, making detection challenging and increasing the risk for victims.

Professor Kaafar explains that scammers rely on a small percentage of successful scams to generate significant profits. By tying up their time and reducing successful scams, the AI chatbots disrupt their business model, making it harder for them to make money.

The development of this technology comes at a crucial time, as the global phone scam trade continues to grow, with Australians alone estimated to have lost over $3.1 billion to scammers in 2022. The approach of using AI chatbots to deceive scammers offers a promising solution to chip away at their profits and protect vulnerable individuals from falling victim to fraudulent schemes.

As patents are finalised and the technology progresses, the potential impact on reducing the profitability of phone scams is immense, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing fight against cybercrime.

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