SPOT AI SCAMS FAST

Artificial Intelligence, or Al, is a great tool when it comes to saving money, but scammers are using it too, creating bogus videos, phone calls and product listings to steal our cash or personal information. The good news? You don't need to be tech-savvy to stay safe. These tips make it easy:

- -Gabrielle Lichterman

Look for video tells

Ever watched a clip that seemed totally real only to find out it was fake? You're not alone. “Advances in AI are making videos increasingly realistic—so much so that even experts can find it difficult to spot anything unusual,” says Mark Lee, founder and CEO of MarqVision, a firm that uses AI to fight counterfeits. That’s why crooks use this technology to create phony videos of celebrities or charities to persuade you into clicking, sharing or donating. Fortunately, Lee says you can expose this AI trickery with a few easy moves:

Focus on the face

"Warning signs that the video is fake often include unnatural blinking, lips that don’t match the words and stiff facial expressions," says Lee.

Trust your ears

Real people pause, change tone, clear their throats and toss in fillers like “um.” On the other hand, “an AI voice can sound oddly smooth or robotic,” he says.

Double-check 'facts'