The Federal Communications Commission has officially named the first artificially intelligent robocall scammer, but is it too late?
After all, Royal Tiger has already gotten away with numerous fraudulent activities that affected millions of Americans.
Let’s talk about what these headlines mean for AI scammers in general, what you should look out for going forward, and how you can protect yourself from these sophisticated scams in the future.
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A woman receives a robocall. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
So, who is the Royal Tiger Cyber Gang?
Royal Tiger was the first robocall group named by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The group is known for using advanced techniques such as AI voice cloning to commit cyber fraud, as well as “robocall” scams in which users impersonate government, bank and utility officials.
The group comprises individuals and voice service providers operating in various countries including India, the UK, the UAE and the US. The group is led by Prince Jashvantlal Anand, who uses the alias “Frank Murphy”, and his associate Kaushal Bhavsar. Anand has served as the “CEO” of “US-based companies” such as Irum Telecommunications and PZ Telecommunications.
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What are Robocalls and AI Scams?
Robocalls and AI scams use automated calling systems and artificial intelligence to trick and defraud individuals. There are several ways this can happen, but scammers like Royal Tiger use AI voice clones to create realistic voices and impersonate legitimate organizations like government agencies, banks, and utility companies.
Typically, these scams use specific trick scenarios to exploit victims, such as calling about credit card interest rate reductions or fake purchase authorization orders, to obtain consumer financial and other sensitive data from targeted individuals.
Using phone spoofing technology, it is possible to make the caller ID actually show that the call is coming from one of these agencies, making the call appear more legitimate.
A man gets annoyed by robocalls. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
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Is the Federal Communications Commission doing anything about this?
The first step in exposing scammers and raising awareness of these types of scams is to name and shame them, which is exactly what the FCC is attempting to do with Royal Tiger, in the hope that by revealing details about the scammers’ activities, it will spur international action against them. Meanwhile, in the US, the FCC has sent cease and desist letters to companies involved in the fraudulent activities, including Illum Telecommunication, PZ Telecommunication and One Eye, in an attempt to disrupt their activities and hold them accountable.
In some cases, the FCC has actually required downstream providers to block traffic from these companies. Additionally, the FCC has classified Royal Tiger and its entities as a Consumer Communications and Information Services Threat (C-CIST) because they pose a significant risk to consumer confidence in communications services.
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Expert opinion
Dr. Ilya Korochenko, CEO Immuniweb “We’re excited to be working with NVIDIA to bring this technology to market,” said the adjunct professor of cybersecurity at Capital Technology University.
“2024 will likely see a surge in computer-assisted fraud and crime, which should be distinguished from pure cybercrime. This is due to a surge in the misuse of freely available generative AI (GenAI) tools and online services. When combined with well-thought-out social engineering campaigns, GenAI could cause unprecedented economic damage in large-scale phishing and fraud campaigns. For example, elderly and other socially vulnerable people could be maliciously tricked into paying ‘fines’ for speeding tickets and minor crimes they did not commit.
“Well-prepared fake calls exploit people’s respect for law enforcement and government, for example by posing as local police or the FBI and using legalese to cite numerous statutes and regulations to intellectually disarm and psychologically paralyze their victims. VoIP makes it easy to disguise phone numbers, so many gangs utilize actual law enforcement phone numbers to make their calls more credible.
“Victims may then be given a ‘great favour’ (allegedly only offered to first-time offenders) to pay their fines online or give their credit card details over the phone instead of going to the police station or local court. The sad thing is, most victims will be happy to pay. What’s worse, quite a number of victims will keep the incident secret, thinking they were lucky to have escaped a heavier punishment when they had really done something wrong.”
How to stop phone number spoofing and protect yourself from scammers
How to take protection into your own hands
While it’s great news that the FCC has taken action thus far, groups like Royal Tiger typically act quickly and are always one step ahead, redefining their tactics and becoming more sophisticated. Here are some tips on how you can take matters into your own hands and protect yourself:
Beware of nuisance calls: Be wary of unsolicited calls, especially those requesting personal information or offering services that sound too good to be true.
Use a call blocking service: Many telephone companies Block or screen unwanted callsTake advantage of these features to reduce the number of robocalls you receive.
Verify the caller’s identity: If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a government agency, bank, or utility company, hang up and call the organization’s official number to verify the call’s authenticity.
Avoid sharing personal information at all costs. Never share sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details or credit card numbers over the phone unless you are certain of the caller’s identity.
Report a suspicious call: If you receive a suspicious call, report it to the FCC or Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Reports help these agencies track and act against scams.
Use a data deletion service: To minimize the amount of personal information available online and make it harder for scammers to obtain, consider using a data removal service. No service promises to delete all of your data from the Internet, but if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of continually deleting information from hundreds of sites over a long period of time, a removal service can be useful. Check out my recommendations for personal data deletion services here.
A woman receives a robocall. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
Important points about the cart
While the FCC’s naming of Royal Tiger as the first official AI robocall scam group is a positive step, we are likely to see a surge in advanced AI-enabled scams that leverage voice cloning and caller ID spoofing. We all need to remain extremely vigilant: verify unsolicited calls requesting personal information or payment through official channels, do not share sensitive data over the phone, and report suspected scams. A coordinated effort by governments, businesses, and individuals is essential to effectively combat evolving AI-enabled scam techniques.
What role should AI companies play in preventing their technology from being misused for nefarious purposes like voice cloning fraud? Cyberguy.com/Contact Us
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