FBI Warns of Email AI Scams Targeting Gmail Users in Michigan

The most dangerous scams are the ones that are particularly effective at fooling victims with believability. Many scams are easier for the tech-savy to snuff out because of their common giveaways.

But, as technology progresses, scammers become more dangerous.

One intended victim, according to Forbes, was a tech-savvy engineer who described the scam as "the most sophisticated phishing attack I’ve ever seen."

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These scams are so dangerous that the FBI is warning GMail users all across the country, including here in Michigan, to take these AI-backed scams seriously.

The scammers in this case used AI technology to impersonate a tech support person from Google warning the target that someone is trying to access their account overseas. This comes from a phone call in which the AI tech helps the call appear to come directly from Google.

The target then receives an email continuing the warning and offering a code to assist in recovering the account. This code, of course, allowed the scammer to access the account.

While Google has said that they don't have evidence that these scams are widespread, Forbes reports that the issue extends well beyond this one instance as other scammers can use this tactic to impersonate banking staff and even police.

The FBI's warning is rather straightforward: “Legitimate customer, security, or tech support companies will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals.” Google, your bank and other likewise examples do not communicate in these ways. The best advice the FBI can give is as simple as it gets: don't answer the phone in these situations and don't click on links that are so dire to save your account.

It's better to reach back out to support, whether it's Google or your bank, to verify the communication you received. If they can't verify the email or phone call, it's a scam.

The FBI's statement on the matter includes other AI-fueled scam tactics and steps to take if you have fallen victim to such a scam.