In response to new digital threats, the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) has sparked an important conversation about AI's role in today's scams. The most recent episode of their podcast, Consumer Connection, is a dive into the treacheries of artificial intelligence and how it's crafting more cunning deceptions to part unwitting consumers from their data and dollars. Host Michelle Escobar, alongside Keith Young, the county's chief information security officer, unravels the complex web of AI-powered scams. They dissect phishing attacks and elaborate on the modern twists to old cons like the grandparent scam, according to the Montgomery County OCP's announcement.
Real-world examples are not in short supply as Young walks listeners through various schemes, illustrating just how these fraudsters create false urgency to bait their traps. "Unmasking AI’s Role in Scams" does not merely highlight the problem; it offers actionable strategies for self-defense. These strategies include recognizing AI-generated content, constructing resilient passwords, and taking a pause to verify any urgent, unexpected requests. With AI scams growing in complexity, knowledge is power, and this podcast anticipates outfitting its audience with the armor of awareness.
Accessible through popular platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music, "Unmasking AI’s Role in Scams" can also be streamed directly from the OCP website. Ensuring their content reaches as wide an audience as possible, the OCP encourages listener interaction, inviting questions and suggestions at [email protected]. Future podcast installments will tackle issues from navigating the scam-ridden waters to making savvy purchases and understanding the depth of consumer rights.
Technical support for the podcast is furnished by the Office of Broadband Programs, nestled under the umbrella of the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions'. A visit to the OCP isn't virtual alone; their doors at 100 Maryland Ave., Suite 3600, in Rockville, are open for walk-ins from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For those not in the area, reaching out is a call or click away—MC 311 or 240-777-0311, or via their website. And for those preferring their updates in social snippets, OCP keeps the current rolling on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
