CHARLOTTE — To reach people beyond the pews, Pastor Alan Beauchamp shares his sermons on social media, but his message was hijacked recently, when his Facebook account got hacked.
Scammers stole one of his videos and used AI technology to try to trick his followers into believing he’s promoting cryptocurrency.
Beauchamp said he doesn’t believe anyone fell for it, but similar scams do fool a lot of people.
“Scammers use AI technology as a microtargeting tool, and to impersonate others through fake voices, photos and video,” Consumer Reports’ Chuck Bell said. “It’s an effective way to personalize messages and convince people to hand over money.”
Pastor Beauchamp eventually regained control of his Facebook account, but only after his U.S. senator stepped in to draw attention to the issue.
“Whether it’s an email about a job, a text that appears to be from your bank or a phone call from the IRS – don’t respond to dubious communications from out of the blue,“ Bell said. ”Scammers make urgent requests to get you to act now, but don’t fall for it. Hang up and call the bank or IRS yourself, and never send money or give out passwords and information to someone you don’t know.”
Consumer Reports says one of the best ways to protect yourself is by turning on two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security beyond your password.
Experts also recommend shopping on reputable, secure websites and making sure your browser security settings help block phishing, malware and malicious ads.
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