As emerging artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities change the way people interact with computers, some scammers are using that technology to further manipulate people. The Dauphin County commissioners and law enforcement entities advise residents to stay on alert for AI-based scams.

Scammers sometimes use AI to manipulate the voices of people's loved ones, noted Commissioner George P. Hartwick III. Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo added that he has heard reports of scams in which the voice on the phone closely mimics that of a relative of the call's recipient. Scammers are believed to be collecting audio data from social media, voice messages and other sources.

Scammers targeted former Dauphin County treasurer Janis Creason, who said she found the ploy to be quite convincing despite her years of training on scams. She received a call featuring a voice that sounded like her daughter's. The voice spoke of being injured in a car accident near where her daughter was, in fact, attending a work conference. Creason then heard a male voice, supposedly that of a police officer, talking about the circumstances of the crash and the vehicle's needing to be towed. Sirens could be heard in the background. Creason, who eventually reached her daughter and ultimately did not lose money, spent subsequent calls talking to what she believed to be her daughter, the officer and a public defender. Creason was given callback numbers and a case number she was told to write down. It was not until the third call that Creason was asked for money.

Creason believes the car accident scenario was selected to mimic a recent one that happened in her real life. She cautioned people be alert for indicators that a call is a scam; for example, the "victim" may ask that no one else be told out of embarrassment or fear.

Families should consider using a code word that is unique and not used in the proximity of phones, tablets, laptops and other devices. That code word should be used to communicate in true emergencies. Family members also should limit what information they put online. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office encourages that scams be reported to the Bureau of Consumer Protection at 800-441-2555.