Am I Paranoid

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

With all the news stories about AI and how the technology is being used by scammers to replicate voices I am wondering about being suspicious of the number of bogus phone calls I receive. The latest one from a foreign sounding person saying she is from the Government wanting to do a survey which will only take 10 seconds. Really .. 10 seconds.

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

I don’t bother answering phone calls unless they’re on my phone’s directory or I am actually expecting the call. I never call back to missed calls who don’t leave a message.
If the caller can’t be bothered to leave a message, then the call can’t be that important…..



P.S. Sorry Joe, didn’t have your number saved but have now saved it and will answer next time…

[leon]

Absolutely Matt we do the same, and Alice gets so many from all around Australia, she never answers them but as you said they never leave a message.

No Hans you are not paranoid at all it is pretty serious stuff i reckon, and a bit disturbing.

Leon

[dikman (Richard)]

In answer to the question - no! Once upon a time you would indeed be considered paranoid, but nowadays it's virtually a necessity.

Fortunately scam calls tend to give themselves away, not only by using interstate numbers () but by hanging up after only a few rings.

[fsphotography (Frank)]

They don't want you to answer, they want you to call back, that's why the
short ringing.

Frank.

[alan meehan (Alan)]

got a loud sounding horn thats fixed them

[dikman (Richard)]

Frank, that never even occurred to me. Doh! Unless I recognise the number or there's a message left I NEVER call back.

Alan, I used to keep a loud whistle by the phone - until the grand-kids found it!

[alpal]

I get strange calls about once or twice per week on my mobile.
None of them know my name which is good.
One the other day was from the so called "Chinese embassy" -
the first sentence was in English -
a computer generated voice and then it went into some Chinese language.
Another one was a "survey" from the "Australian Govt"

I just hang up straight away and then block their number.

cheers
Allan

[fsphotography (Frank)]

Originally Posted by dikman

Frank, that never even occurred to me. Doh! Unless I recognise the number or there's a message left I NEVER call back.

Alan, I used to keep a loud whistle by the phone - until the grand-kids found it!

And it also never occurred to you that people do call them back?

Frank.

[alan meehan (Alan)]

Allen Gould once told me at qld astrofest he used to ask them did they have a nice sister that shut them up quick said in a creepy voice

[AdamJL]

Don't answer calls from numbers you don't know. I get them often. I also have TrueCaller on my phone which can screen the number before or after it's been received.
Also, don't talk to them. You're 100% right that AI can be used to synthesise voices. It's a problem if you use telephone banking and the "your voice is your password" system as that can be spoofed.

[JA]

Originally Posted by Hans Tucker

With all the news stories about AI and how the technology is being used by scammers to replicate voices I am wondering about being suspicious of the number of bogus phone calls I receive.

I think you are quite right to be cautious Hans. Who knows what sort of voice print could be assembled in a short call and then used against you financially or otherwise?

... Semper Vigilans


Best
JA

[AstroViking (Steve)]

Matt has the best policy - don't answer unknown numbers unless you're expecting a call.

With regards to the numbers they "call from", they are usually spoofed and originate from somewhere outside the country.

Cheers,
V