Don’t believe at first glance what you see

By: 
Barbara Anne Greene

More and more fake, doctored, artificial intelligence (AI) manipulated photos, videos, recordings, etc., are showing up. Mainly on social media and “news” coverage. They are so well done that many of us believe at first glance. It is scary. 

Manipulation happens to pictures, speeches and videos of public people. They are mainly inflammatory, divisive and used to demonize the person(s). Granted a few are funny and so outrageous you hope no one believes them outright. But some people do. 

It is sad to see how these stir people up and spark fights between friends. Just because it looks legitimate doesn’t mean it is. 

Several local people in Basin have received a Facebook video chat request from a “friend.” The persons on both videos were very blurry and were hard to see. The voices were like their friend but not quite right. The “friend” asked for money to be sent to them through a link they posted in the chat. 

Also scary are the scammer calls that record your voice and then use a voice app to mimic your voice. They then use the recording for evil. Yes, evil. 

For example, your phone rings, the person on the other end asks, “Can you hear me, hello, hello.” You respond, “Hello and yes.” They may ask a few more innocuous questions and then hang up. Those few words of your voice are manipulated and mimicked into a whole different conversation. That conversation is then used to call someone else as you. It could be a request for money or questions to get a social security number, bank account number and so on. Because it sounds like you, the person that is called may give up that information or send money. 

Mom kept receiving calls that showed on caller ID they were coming from a town office in Rock Springs. One time, I answered, and it was a robocall. I Googled the number of Rock Springs town hall. The number was not the same. Then called the real number and let them know a scammer was calling people under the guise of being the town government. 

The elderly are most targeted. If you don’t know who is calling, don’t answer. If it is a legit call, they will likely leave a message.

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