Scams, phishing and other forms of human
manipulation make up over 75% of all digital threats.
New AI-Powered Scam Detector Norton Genie
Expands to Android.
TEMPE,
Ariz. and PRAGUE,
Sept. 20,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Norton, a consumer Cyber Safety
brand of Gen™ (NASDAQ: GEN), today released its latest Consumer
Cyber Safety Pulse Report, which gives an in-depth look at the most
recent scams, including those surrounding online retailers,
sextortion, tech support, crypto, business emails and
more.
With the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT,
cybercriminals now have added support in creating sophisticated
scams which has led to a surge in prevalence. What's more,
according to data from Gen, 75% of all cyberthreats on desktop are
now scams. Norton experts identified some of the most prominent
online scams people are facing today, including:
- E-Shop Scams: Scammers create fake online stores, offering
products at unbeatable prices. Once a purchase is made, the product
is never delivered, and the website disappears.
- Sextortion Scams: Cybercriminals threaten to release private or
compromising information unless a ransom is paid. These scams often
begin with phishing emails and exploit human emotions like fear and
shame.
- Tech Support Scams: Fraudsters pose as tech support agents from
reputable companies. They deceive victims into granting remote
access to their computers, leading to data theft or ransom
demands.
"We've found scammers are leaning on old methods to lure
victims, but they now have a more sophisticated arsenal at their
disposal to make these schemes more realistic," said Luis Corrons, Security Evangelist for Norton.
"Leveraging AI, criminals are creating scams that are not only more
credible but alarmingly real, making scams more convincing and
harder to detect, which is why it's so important that consumers
know what to be aware of. In addition to giving people the
know-how, we want them to have the latest security tools they need
to be safer. We recently released Norton Genie, a free AI-powered
scam detection tool, to help people in the fight against scams and
make it easier to navigate today's threats. You can even ask Genie
follow up questions so that over time you can become better at
spotting scams with the naked eye too."
Norton recommends a variety of tips to help protect against
scams, depending on the type. These practices include:
- Verify before you buy: Check the retail website's
authenticity through reviews and ratings.
- Double-check who you're talking to when you receive unknown
calls: If contacted by "tech support," for example, verify
their identity by contacting the company directly through official
channels.
- Add security layers to purchases: Use multi-step
verification before making any financial transactions and only use
secure payment methods, such as credit cards, which offer
fraud protection.
- Be careful what you share: Regardless of where or with
whom, always think twice before you share personally identifiable
information online.
AI for Good: Norton Genie Provides Free Scam Protection for
iOS and Android
While cybercriminals are using AI to help improve their scams,
Norton is tapping into the technology to help consumers protect
themselves against them. The newly launched Norton Genie is an
AI-powered tool that detects text, social media and email scams.
While consumers are inundated with scam messages every day, Genie
helps people determine if the messages they see are potentially
dangerous. Genie takes the topic a step further by answering
follow-up questions like "How do you know it's a scam?" and "What
should I do next?" to help empower people with the knowledge they
need.
Norton Genie early access in English launched in August for iOS
and is now also available on Android. Visit genie.norton.com to
learn more and download today.
Threats by the Numbers
The latest Pulse Report reveals Norton blocked over 1.5 billion
threats in the first half of 2023. Scams make up the majority of
these threats.
From January 1 through June 30,
2023, Norton blocked:
- 117.8 million phishing attempts
- 88.9 million desktop threats
- 680K mobile threats
- Norton AntiTrack blocked over 2.6 billion trackers and
fingerprinting attempts
For more information and Cyber Safety guidance, visit
the Norton Internet Security Center.
About Norton
Norton is a leader in Cyber Safety, and part of Gen™ (NASDAQ: GEN),
a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom with a
family of trusted consumer brands. Norton empowers millions of
individuals and families with award-winning protection for their
devices, online privacy, and identity. Norton products and services
are certified by independent testing organizations including
AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives, and SE Labs. Norton is a founding member
of the Coalition Against Stalkerware. Learn more at Norton.com.
www.norton.com.
Brittany
Posey-Thomas
|
Courtney
Rowles
|
Gen
|
Edelman for
Gen
|
Brittany.Posey@GenDigital.com
|
Courtney.Rowles@edelman.com
|
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SOURCE Gen Digital Inc.