Published 7th May, 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been touted as the next greatest innovation of humankind.

AI is currently empowering computers to imitate intelligent behaviour previously exclusive to human beings. Computers can write and tell news, generate pragmatic arguments, give seasoned advice, pass human tests, and the list of its abilities goes on.

All with the help of a little prompt or instruction, AI input is revolutionising the development of crucial knowledge in areas such as precise surgical procedures. However, AI has also revolutionised internet fraud and information theft.

Tech experts, and even AI development stakeholders, have voiced the imminent dangers of artificial intelligence misuse. One of such AI abuse is the perfection of phishing.

Phishing is an activity which includes a rather clever trick used to deceive internet users into revealing information which should be confidential. Phishers target personal data such as passwords which can then be used to steal more valuable assets.

Most phishing attacks come in the form of a seemingly harmless email or link to a webpage. Once users open these mails and web pages, they can easily part ways with personal identification numbers or passwords that grant access to financial services. This enables the phishers to gain direct control of the users’ money.

Before the popularity of personal AI application in the early 2020s, phishers employed web pages that most internet users could easily deem dubious. Today, phishers have enlisted AI to build convincing web pages and write compelling mails directed at victims.

The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) highlighted concerns of fraud and social engineering using ChatGPT, a Large Language Model (LLM) based on AI in early 2023.

“ChatGPT’s ability to draft highly realistic text makes it a useful tool for phishing purposes. The ability of LLMs to re-produce language patterns can be used to impersonate the style of speech of specific individuals or groups. This capability can be abused at scale to mislead potential victims into placing their trust in the hands of criminal actors,” EUROPOL stated.

ChatGPT’s ability to regenerate texts is the foundation. AI systems such as Midjourney have successfully generated live art, voices and videos with striking similarities to their subject.

EUROPOL’s concerns about AI misuses are global concerns.

FIJ has found some websites and links leading to convincing but illegitimate web pages. One of such web pages is a Konga website.

The original Konga website hosts web pages where customers buy goods from vendors. The illegitimate Konga website is not similar to the original Konga website, but it is a convincing web page for anyone who isn’t familiar with the original Konga brand. Both websites offer e-commerce services, but only one is a trusted brand.

Email from Konga dissociating itself from the new website.

A couple of complainants forced the original company to send emails to its customers to dissociate itself from the illegitimate website. Data unsuspecting users input in the new Konga website, especially card details for payments, may not be protected.