BBC Ideas|AI骗局识别指南:你能识破几个?
英音听力|BBC & 经济学人等
Can you spot an AI scam?
Artificial intelligence is changing the world around us, and it's everywhere – on messaging and photo apps on our phones, on customer service phone lines and websites. And while it's very quick and potentially very useful, it also makes spotting scams and fake content trickier than ever. So what do you need to look out for?
Imagine you get a frantic call from your friend. He's crying, saying he's stuck overseas, his wallet and phone stolen, and he urgently needs money. He's asking you to write down a bank account number and transfer some money right now. Before you grab a pen, ask yourself, "Is your friend really abroad? "Is he really in trouble? Is this really him?"
In fact, your friend's voice could have been cloned and turned into something known as a deepfake. This is a way of using AI to try and mislead you, and it's scarily convincing. So it's definitely worth double-checking that your friend isn't actually happily at home and sitting in front of the telly before you start moving money around.
Deepfake technology can also be used to create videos and images. A few years ago, these fakes had giveaways like strange facial movements or weird lighting. Now they're becoming worryingly realistic. Ever seen a social media post where someone's hands look oddly shaped or they have too many fingers? That's AI slipping up. But these mistakes are getting rarer.
AI scams can also pop up when you're looking for love, maybe chatting with someone new on a dating app. AI-generated text tends to be very polished, often lacking the usual human typos and quirks. If someone keeps sending oddly poetic or clever messages or using more emojis than feels natural, you might be talking to an AI chatbot.
Other scammers target those looking for rental properties, so watch out if you're flat-hunting online and find a place in a perfect location with great photos and a convincing virtual tour. It could be entirely AI-generated, created to lure you into sending a deposit for a property that doesn't exist.
In the last couple of years, AI has got better and better, and the clues we've looked at for spotting AI content may soon become unreliable. So how can you stay sharp?
Check your sources. Always ask, "Who shared this? Why?" If it feels strange or unlikely, especially if it makes you emotional, happy, angry or shocked, it's worth a second look.
Context matters. Think about the situation. A sudden, shocking announcement during an election period could be designed specifically to mislead or manipulate.
Double-check. Run it past trusted news sites or a fact-checking page. If no-one else is reporting something sensational, it's probably fake.
Look and listen closely. Awkward robotic phrasing, strange pauses, inconsistent lighting, odd eyes, or overly smooth skin on videos can all indicate AI manipulation.
Tell others. Sharing info about any scams you come across with family and friends could help them stay safe. In the UK, flagging suspected scams to the police via Action Fraud can help raise awareness and even get scammers shut down.
And, finally, stay informed. Keep yourself updated on the latest deepfake technology and how it's being used.
AI isn't going away, and while it brings exciting possibilities, it also requires us to be sharper, more aware, more thoughtful. So next time you're online and something feels off – pause, question, investigate. Critical thinking isn't just a skill, it's your best defence in a world where seeing or hearing is no longer believing.
词汇表
spot [spɒt] vt. 识别,发现
scam [skæm] n. 骗局,诈骗,欺诈
look out for 留意,提防,放心
frantic [ˈfræntɪk] adj. 慌乱的,狂乱的
grab a pen [ɡræb] 拿起笔
clone [kləʊn] vt. 克隆,复制
deepfake [ˈdiːpfeɪk] n. 深度伪造(利用AI技术篡改音视频的内容)
mislead [ˌmɪsˈliːd] vt. 误导,欺骗
scarily convincing [ˈskeərɪli kənˈvɪnsɪŋ] 逼真得令人毛骨悚然
double-check [ˌdʌbl ˈtʃek] v. 再次检查,仔细核实,复核
giveaway [ˈɡɪvəweɪ] n. 破绽,漏洞,泄露
slip up 出差错,失误,疏忽
pop up (突然地)出现,发生
polished [ˈpɒlɪʃt] adj. 优美的,精炼的
typo [ˈtaɪpəʊ] n. 打字错误;排版错误
quirk [kwɜːk] n. 个性特点,怪癖
poetic [pəʊˈetɪk] adj. 诗意的;诗歌的
scammer [ˈskæmə(r)] n. 骗子,欺诈者
rental property [ˈrentl ˈprɒpəti] 出租房产,出租房屋
flat-hunt [flæt hʌnt] vi. 寻找公寓,找租房
virtual tour [ˈvɜːtʃuəl] 虚拟看房,虚拟游览
lure…into [lʊə(r)] 诱使…陷入,引诱…做
deposit [dɪˈpɒzɪt] n. 押金,定金,预付款
stay sharp 保持警惕,保持敏锐
manipulate [məˈnɪpjuleɪt] vt. 操纵,操控;处理,篡改
fact-checking [fækt ˈtʃekɪŋ] n. 事实核查
sensational [senˈseɪʃənl] adj. 耸人听闻的,轰动性的
awkward [ˈɔːkwəd] adj. 生硬的,笨拙的,不灵活的
phrasing [ˈfreɪzɪŋ] n. 措辞,表达,用语
inconsistent [ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt] adj. 不一致的,前后矛盾的
AI manipulation [mənɪpjuˈleɪʃn] AI篡改,AI处理
flag [flæɡ] vt. 举报,标记
Action Fraud [frɔːd] 行动反诈骗(英国反诈骗机构)
get shut down 被取缔,被捣毁,被一网打尽
stay informed [ɪnˈfɔːmd] 保持消息灵通,及时了解信息
feel off 感觉不对劲,觉得反常
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