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Attention scammers: a new AI has arrived to keep you occupied on the phone, and it’s designed to mimic the voice of a loving grandmother.
Created by Virgin Media O2 in the UK, “Daisy” is an innovative AI-driven call answering system that aims to prolong conversations with scam callers, thereby reducing their chances of targeting real victims. This concept echoes previous initiatives aimed at wasting scammers’ time, similar to tactics employed by scam prevention advocate James Veitch.
The development of Daisy involved collaboration with YouTuber Jim Browning, known for his efforts in exposing fraudulent schemes through various methods.
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Dubbed as “head of scammer relations,” Daisy engages callers with lengthy anecdotes—though some may argue this approach leans towards age-based stereotypes. According to O2, Daisy shares elaborate tales about her family life, discusses her love for knitting extensively, and provides fictitious personal details like invented bank account information. The company claims that Daisy has successfully kept numerous fraudsters engaged on calls for up to 40 minutes at a time.
Daisy operates using multiple AI models that listen attentively to incoming calls while generating real-time transcriptions. It then formulates suitable responses from its language model delivered in a lifelike voice infused with Daisy’s unique personality traits. Here’s an advertisement showcasing its capabilities:
The Rationale Behind Daisy’s Design
The choice to have an AI emulate the stereotypical persona of an elderly woman stems from the alarming rise in telephone scams targeting older individuals in the UK—especially those aged 75 and above. Reports indicate that these scams are predominantly conducted via phone calls.
This issue extends beyond British borders; according to data from the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), impersonation scams resulted in over $1.3 billion lost by Americans in 2023 alone—with nearly half of those affected being over 60 years old and accounting for approximately $770 million in losses.
A Smart Defense Against Scammers
Scam callers often employ social engineering tactics aimed at extracting sensitive personal information such as banking details or social security numbers. By utilizing an AI like Daisy that can engage them without risking actual financial loss seems like a clever strategy against these malicious actors.
Limitations on Interaction with Daisy
Daisy is not available for public interaction unless you happen to be one of those scammers she was designed to thwart. An O2 representative explained that “the goal behind creating Daisy was twofold: waste scammers’ time while also raising awareness about scam call dangers.” They emphasized that this tool is specifically optimized for engaging fraudsters rather than facilitating general conversations—a feature requiring substantial computing resources if made widely accessible.
What To Do If You Encounter Scammers Directly?
If you find yourself speaking directly with a suspected scam caller instead of interacting with Daisy, you can report these calls or messages through O2’s existing blocking service by texting them at 7726.
A Continuous Battle Against Fraudulent Tactics
The relentless ingenuity displayed by scammers necessitates equally creative countermeasures from companies dedicated to consumer protection.
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