Recently, there have been several scams associated with Gmail, including phishing emails disguised as messages from your Google contacts. A new scheme targeting email accounts has been reported by IT consultant Sam Mitrovic, in which the fraudsters even utilize AI technology to hijack your Gmail account.
Using AI Voices to Compromise Gmail Accounts
Mitrovic himself became a victim of this latest scam. Initially, he received an email in his Gmail inbox indicating that someone was trying to recover his account. The email urged him to confirm that he had initiated the recovery process. Suspicious, he disregarded the message but soon received a phone call from an individual. The caller, who had an American accent, was using a number that appeared to originate from Australia.
Suspicious Phone Call and Email Recovery Attempts
The person on the line introduced themselves and informed Mitrovic that there had been suspicious activity detected on his Gmail account. They inquired if he was traveling and attempting to log in from other countries outside the United States. Mitrovic replied that he was not, at which point the caller claimed that someone had been trying to access his Gmail account for over a week.
At this stage, Mitrovic became increasingly unsure if he was speaking to a legitimate caller. He decided to Google the number that had contacted him, only to find it listed in Google’s official documentation as a legitimate support line. To further verify the caller’s authenticity, Mitrovic requested an email from the individual. The caller agreed, and as Mitrovic listened, he could hear the sounds of a call center in the background, including keyboard typing. Shortly after, he received the email, which only heightened his suspicions.
The Telltale Email
While the email appeared to be official, a red flag emerged in the sender’s address: it was listed as “googlemail@internalcasetracking.com,” which is not a verified Google email address. Mitrovic decided to stay on the line for a moment, after which the supposed representative asked, “Hello? Is anyone else on the line?” He waited again, and ten seconds later, he heard the same “Hello?”—a perfect echo of the first greeting.
Realizing that he was likely dealing with an AI system on the other end, Mitrovic hung up immediately. He suspected that the scammers aimed to appear as official as possible. Next, they would probably have instructed him to confirm the account recovery email, thus granting them full access to his virtual mailbox.
Common Security Mistakes to Avoid
Mitrovic advises caution, even during phone calls and purported email confirmations. With the use of AI, many aspects of these scams can be automated and fabricated quickly. But how can one identify these scams? For many accounts, simply logging in and checking for any suspicious activity in recent weeks can clarify matters. If only your own logins are listed, it is likely that the claims of unauthorized access are false.
Furthermore, it is wise to terminate the call and reach out to the official support hotline on your own. Instead of returning the call to the number that just contacted you, search online for the correct customer service number. Authentic representatives can inform you if there are indeed any issues with your account.
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