The first recorded use of the term 'artificial intelligence' (AI) to describe computers that could emulate human thought came at an academic conference in 1956. Decades later, most people were still yet to have an actual conversation with a robot. But that all changed when ChatGPT – a chatbot that instantly generates human-like text responses to most questions – was released to the public in late 2022.
Within weeks, the app spread faster than just about any technology in recorded history. And now, the website generates more than 1 billion visits each month. The widespread accessibility of AI technology such as ChatGPT undoubtedly has, and will continue to, positively impact lives around the world. But it also comes with a significant downside: scammers have, and will continue to, misuse it. The same technology that’s revolutionizing industries ranging from education to healthcare also gives criminals powerful new advantages when it comes to creating online scams, malware, and other cyber threats.
That’s why we’ve developed a range of online scam detector and prevention tools – to help keep you safe from scammers who are now weaponizing AI. From checking your received text messages for spam to analyzing online shops to see if they’re genuine, find the tools you need to stay safe online – for free.
1. F-Secure Text Message Checker
According to F-Secure consumer market research from June 2023, SMS scams – also known as ‘smishing’ – account for 12% of all online crime. Pretending to be a trusted company or organization, the scammer’s intention is to get you to click on a malicious link or provide personal data via text message. And with most people worldwide now using a smartphone, the scope for scammers is huge.
If you receive an SMS or instant message that you think is suspicious, firstly consider who the sender is. For example, banks will never text you asking for personal information or to move your money – so you know that won’t be genuine. However, since the introduction of generative AI, scammers have been able to create more effective texts and fake SMS have been harder to spot. Now, the best way for you to check if a text is spam is with our free AI-powered scam detector tool: F-Secure Text Message Checker.
2. F-Secure Online Shopping Checker
Consumers lose millions of dollars to online shopping scams each year – particularly across the holiday season. These scams are only increasing in frequency as technology advances, with nearly 1 in 4 of us falling victim to online shopping scams through bogus email offers, fake websites, and phony surveys.
To avoid shopping scams, be hesitant about clicking links in emails and on social media – instead, go to retailers' websites directly through your browser. However, the best way to dodge scammers is by running a website’s URL through the F-Secure Online Shopping Checker – our free AI-powered scam detector tool that instantly tells you if an online store is legitimate or not.
3. F-Secure Identity Theft Checker
Today, AI is manipulated for a wealth of scams. One such way is using AI to impersonate companies or organizations with legitimate sounding phishing emails designed to steal victims’ money or personal information. Scammers also use AI to clone voices for vishing attempts, create realistic deepfakes to blackmail and extort their victims, and even steal personal records (such as financial information) in data breaches to sell on the dark web and in illegal marketplaces.
How can you check if your data has been exposed? Our free F-Secure Identity Theft Checker makes it easy: input your email address into the tool and we’ll instantly check if any personal data tied to it has been exposed in known data breaches. You’ll also receive a breach report with recommended actions.
4. F-Secure Strong Password Generator
Weak passwords are one of the easiest ways for criminals to hack your online accounts and steal your personal information. Additionally, many people make the mistake of using the same password across all their accounts, thus endangering all online profiles if their password is stolen.
Passwords can be stolen in a range of ways – from phishing scams and data breaches to malware. To best protect your accounts, each one needs a strong and unique password. That’s where the free F-Secure Strong Password Generator comes in handy – you can use this tool to instantly create strong and secure passwords that are private to you. If you’re worried about remembering the complex passwords that this tool generates, simply use a password manager to make logging into your accounts effortless.
5. F-Secure Online Scanner
Around 2.2 billion malware attacks are detected around the world annually, ranging from viruses and trojans to spyware and ransomware. Scammers have gone as far as cloning legitimate websites, replacing genuine software downloads with download links for their malicious software, and then advertising these sites on Google to trick people into downloading malware.
With so many different tactics designed to infect your devices, it’s important to give your PC a regular health check. The free F-Secure Online Scanner scans your Windows PC for malicious malware and removes any that it finds, ensuring there are no harmful viruses left hiding on your device.
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