Scam-Spotting and Stopping
AI for DC
Hi
Welcome (back) to The Prompt. AI isn’t well understood, but we learn a lot in our work that can help. In this newsletter, we share some of those learnings with you. If you find them helpful, make sure you’re signed up for the next issue.
[News] Scam-spotting and -stopping
Scams are surging and getting more sophisticated: Americans lost more than $12 billion to scammers in 2024, a 25% increase from 2023 and an average loss of $9,000 per victim to investment scams. The public is on alert: 68% of Americans say they’re concerned about falling for a scam via email, text message, or a phone call, according to TrueDot (Sept. 20-21, 1,034 US adults, +/- 3.2%). And 3-in-5 Americans believe AI makes it easier for scammers to trick people.
But guess what? ChatGPT is already helping users detect and avoid scams millions of times each month. According to OpenAI threat investigator Jack Stubbs, “scam checks” drive around 15 million messages per month, globally. Jack also estimates that for every scammer attempt to misuse ChatGPT, three people are using it to protect themselves from scams.
Unsurprisingly, older Americans are more concerned about being targeted by, or falling for scam (78%, per Truedot, versus 68% of all American adults), and also much less likely to have used AI to help spot one (16%, versus 36% of all adults). But when you ask if they’d be likely to use a free, simple tool to spot scams if one were available, they’re in line with all Americans (64%, and 67% of all adults).
That’s why OpenAI is launching a multi-year effort with AARP and its Older Adults Technology Services to help older Americans use AI confidently, starting with a new OpenAI Academy tutorial by Jack to help show them how to use ChatGPT to spot and avoid scams. Next week, on October 1, we’re hosting an OpenAI Forum discussion on this topic, too.
ChatGPT isn’t perfect, and it doesn’t replace your own judgment. But with these kinds of scams, it can help. Try the prompt below to see for yourself.
Meanwhile, our intelligence & investigations team continues to use our technology and their know-how to identify, track, and disrupt scammers trying to use our models. In their next public threat report (last one here), the team will detail some of the large-scale criminal scam operations they’ve disrupted in recent months, originating from Cambodia, Myanmar, Nigeria, and other locations.
[Data] Who fears being scammed
According to TrueDot, Americans are more likely to fear being scammed if they are older, female, college grads, Republican, and/or higher income. There was no difference in concern across race/ethnicity. (Q: How concerned are you about being targeted by, or falling for, a scam through a message, email, phone call, or other type of communication?)
[Prompt] Here’s how ChatGPT can help
Here’s how ChatGPT can help you when it comes to combating scams: either copy-and-paste a suspicious message into ChatGPT, upload a screenshot, or describe a phone call you received, and ask: “Does this look like a scam?” And you get ChatGPT’s answer.
[About] OpenAI Academy
The Academy, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary, is OpenAI’s free online and in-person AI literacy trainings for beginners through experts.
OpenAI has called for a nationwide AI education strategy – rooted in local communities in partnership with American companies – to help our current workforce and students become AI-ready, bolster the economy, and secure America’s continued leadership on innovation.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT on Sep 26 · K-12 Education
[About] OpenAI Forum
Explore past and upcoming programming by and for our community of more than 30,000 AI experts and enthusiasts from across tech, science, medicine, education and government, among other fields.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT on Oct 1
[Disclosure]
Graphics created by Base Three using ChatGPT.