Fraudsters have turned to AI to beat identification checks as research reveals that a third of Brits share sensitive documents unprotected online.
According to identity verification platform IDnow, those aged between 18 and 24 are at the most risk, with a massive 48 per cent of young people having shared their ID documents via risky channels such as email, social media or messaging apps.
This compares with just 21 per cent of over 55s who reported having done the same.
However, while 45 per cent of Brits said they were aware that sending images or scans of the ID documents via online platforms could be obtained by criminals and used in fraudulent activity, 33 per cent did so anyway.
Face-off: Fraudsters are using deepfake technology and stolen identification documents to bypass ID verification systems
In fact, ignorance could be the biggest danger to the public, with the survey indicating that less than a third of the British public know what deepfakes are and are aware of the risks that come with them.
Deepfakes are videos, photographs or audio clips that mimic a real person, and can be highly convincing.
IDnow document and fraud director Lovro Persen said: ‘Worryingly, this research suggests that the UK public is not as concerned, or aware as they should be of the risks associated with such digitally-generated images or videos.
‘The extraordinary leaps in AI technology mean it’s now almost too easy for a fraudster to carry out financial crimes. Consumers shouldn’t make it even easier for fraudsters though.
‘Our advice is always to think twice before sending a scan or photo of your driving licence or passport into the digital ether via unencrypted channels, such as social media or email.’
With the rise of AI and deepfake technology over recent years, criminals are increasingly coming up with ways to capitalise on the tools at their disposal.
This technology means that traditional methods of authenticating documents, generally via a visual inspection, are no longer sufficient IF high-tech fraudsters can make false documents good enough to pass as the real thing.
Fraudsters and scammers are now making use of AI across their scamming activity, according to IDnow co-founder and chief technology and security officer Armin Bauer.
Armin Bauer warns that images shared online could be used by fraudsters
He added that phishing attacks are becoming increasingly difficult to detect as the rise of AI sees fewer of the spelling and grammar errors that previously dogged these scams.
Scammers are using AI to create realistic forged documents, as well as realistic videos of people, which can then be used to bypass identification verification processes, such as when opening a bank account or making a credit card application.
‘Deepfakes are used to break into systems that require you to identify yourself,’ Bauer told This is Money.
‘Fraudsters typically try to generate a completely new person that doesn’t actually exist, or they use a stolen ID card and generate [a deepfake] of the person that it belongs to.’
The fraudsters then use these mocked up identity documents to gain access to whichever platform they are targeting.
Scammers use these techniques to run romance scams too.
Dating app Tinder is bringing in better ID checks, including video selfie comparisons to identity documents, after the app was continuously targeted by romance scammers.
Alex Laurie, senior vice president at identity management firm Ping Identity said: ‘Online dating platforms, like Tinder, are particularly susceptible to catfishing and deception. Users desire authenticity in their connections, yet the risk of encountering fraudulent personas persists unless identities are rigorously verified.’
How to stay safe from ID scammers
While many organisations are turning to more advanced biometric security systems, such as those that recognise facial movements such as blinks, there are measures Britons can take to better protect their sensitive documents.
‘Ensure that your devices are up to date, and that you aren’t sharing too much information openly…any time you share images widely, fraudsters can take those images and try to use them,’ Bauer said.
‘The real way to fight this fraud is to use technology providers who are able to combat that fraud. It is becoming more of a problem, and any process that is not equipped to combat that fraud will get into trouble.’
However, he added that the use of AI by fraudsters is an issue that needs to be dealt with at a larger level.
He added: ‘I think it is a topic that should be addressed by all parties. The government should be involved and there should be regulation… The industry also has to play their part in protecting their services for something like bank account opening, so that it is not possible to use deep fakes to open fraudulent bank accounts.’
‘Of course, it also helps if users follow the best security practices, and ensure their information is secure and can’t be abused.’
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