A recent investigation by the Associated Press has found that American tech companies’ tools and internet infrastructure are being used to fuel a global scamming industry. Scammers are using AI models and other technology to target victims around the world, including in the US.

How the Scams Work

The scammers use specialized software that allows them to work across dozens of languages and target victims in multiple countries. They use AI models, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, to create more convincing and personalized scams. The investigation found that scammers who purchased these tools took in tens of millions of dollars.

The scammers also use internet infrastructure from US companies, including satellite internet provider Starlink, to carry out their scams. The investigation found that one in five signals from devices at scam compounds in Myanmar was carried by a US-registered company.

Regulatory Response

While the US tech companies are not doing anything illegal themselves, the investigation raises questions about how vigorously they are enforcing their own terms of service, which prohibit illegal activity and fraud. Cybersecurity experts say that internet service providers, AI companies, and Starlink could do more to prevent the abuse by scammers, but lack the legal, regulatory, and business incentives to do so.

Outside the US, countries such as the UK, EU, Australia, and Singapore have introduced new regulations that require companies to do more to prevent scams. In the US, lawmakers and government officials have been asking American tech companies to cooperate to cut scammers off from US infrastructure, but on a voluntary basis.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.