650 million. That’s how much Americans lost to romance scams in 2023, according to the FBI’s census. And the trend clearly risks getting worse with the democratisation of AI, which is increasingly used by cyber criminals.
Who are Yahoo Boys?
In this context, scams called “Yahoo Boys” are gaining momentum. These malicious actors, often originating from Nigeria (but not exclusively), begin by establishing a relationship of trust with their targets. Little by little, romantic interactions are established from a distance. In the past, scammers just sent fake photos, but now they’re taking it to the next level with deepfakes.
Fox News actually details their ploy to establish an extra level of trust with victims. They use two smartphones or a combination of smartphone and computer. One device makes the video call while the other runs face-swapping software.
Thus, a digital mask is superimposed on the fraudster’s real face. The imitation is then believable and even allows movements and expressions to be followed and imitated in real time. Usually the scammer uses their own voice, but they can also use more sophisticated technology that better matches their physical appearance.
Good reception reflexes
It will be understood that if the target is not aware of the danger, he can easily be cheated and lose a lot of money in the process. That’s why it’s important to adopt good reflexes so you don’t get fooled.
When you talk to someone you meet online, try to find out who they are. You just had to ask him and see if his profile matched. Our colleagues also offer:
Always verify the identity of people you meet online during video calls by asking them to perform unpredictable actions in real time, such as writing a specific word on a piece of paper and showing it to the camera.
It goes without saying that if someone quickly asks you for money or sensitive personal information, you shouldn’t accept. Hide your social media data by changing privacy settings that can be used to create deep fake scams.
Stay up to date with the latest ongoing scams and you can regularly read information about the main threats at the moment of a lemon squeezer. If you have been defrauded, you should quickly file a complaint and/or dispute with your bank. Finally, you can report the scam Pharos platform which will help protect other Internet users.