Israeli Expert Warns of AI Voice Cloning Scams Stealing Hundreds of Thousands of Shekels

Technology expert Ran Bar-Zik warned in a special interview with Kikar HaShabbat about the growing threat of AI-powered voice cloning scams in Israel. He described scenarios where elderly people receive phone calls mimicking their relatives' voices, pleading for urgent money transfers while sounding distressed. Bar-Zik confirmed that "thefts of hundreds of thousands of shekels are already happening," citing cases where scammers impersonate sons asking for large sums of money.

Bar-Zik also discussed emerging technological tools designed to detect AI-generated forgeries. He explained that companies like Anthropic, Google, and Meta are embedding invisible digital watermarks in AI creations to help identify fakes. He demonstrated how images created or altered by AI can be analyzed by specialized tools to determine their artificial origin. However, he noted the current lack of a unified detection system across all AI platforms, attributing this gap to political and business challenges rather than technological limitations.

Highlighting the difficulty in spotting fake videos, Bar-Zik recalled incidents where reputable media outlets mistakenly aired computer game footage as real war scenes. He stressed the importance of journalistic integrity and urged the public to exercise caution before sharing suspicious content, recommending counting to 1,000 before forwarding any questionable videos.

Regarding phone scams, Bar-Zik warned that apps like Truecaller can be easily manipulated to display fake caller IDs, making it hard to trust incoming calls even from banks or credit companies. He emphasized the vulnerability of voice recognition security measures and the risks posed by leaked personal information such as credit card digits.

To mitigate harm, Bar-Zik urged people to protect vulnerable groups, especially the elderly and less tech-savvy neighbors, by fostering healthy skepticism and vigilance. When asked if he would erase AI technology to avoid these dangers, he firmly declined, citing the significant benefits AI brings, such as assistive technologies for the visually impaired. He concluded by noting the growing demand for AI-skilled programmers and the need for society to adapt to this ongoing technological revolution.