(CLO) Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said she almost fell victim to a sophisticated scam call that used artificial intelligence (AI) technology to impersonate the voice of a foreign leader.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Ms. Paetongtarn – the youngest daughter of telecommunications billionaire and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra – revealed that she had received a voice message with a voice identical to a famous leader (she did not reveal the identity of the person).
Prime Minister of Thailand, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Photo: thaigov.go.th
"In the recording, he said he was looking forward to meeting me and working together," she shared.
Then she missed a call from the same number that night. The next morning, another voicemail message made her suspicious.
"The voice said that Thailand was the only ASEAN country that had not yet contributed any donations. When I heard that, I felt something was wrong," she said.
Soon after, she received a text message asking her to transfer money to an overseas bank account, further confirming that it was a scam.
“When I saw the money transfer request, I knew for sure it was a scam,” she added. Ms Paetongtarn did not disclose exactly when she received the messages.
Telephone scams, often referred to as “call center scams,” are common in Thailand. Scammers often impersonate police, government officials, or bank employees, using automated calls (robocalls) to reach victims.
Phishing attacks using AI technology are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with the ability to mimic real human voices in ways that are difficult to detect. The case of Ms Paetongtarn shows that even high-ranking figures can be targeted by these tricks.
According to cybersecurity experts, the use of AI to create fake voices is a worrying trend globally, not just in Thailand. Similar scams have occurred in other countries, in which fraudsters used the technology to impersonate company leaders or celebrities to commit financial fraud.
Ms. Paetongtarn, 38 years old, recently declared assets of more than 400 million dollars to Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra – who once owned the Manchester City football club – is now worth an estimated $2.1 billion, according to Forbes magazine, ranking 10th on the list of Thailand's richest people.
Hong Hanh (according to Bangkok Post, CNA)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/thu-tuong-thai-lan-cung-suyt-bi-lua-dao-boi-phan-mem-gia-giong-ai-post330622.html
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