OverSixty July 2023 Digital

ISSUE 5 | JULY 2023 | OVERSIXTY.COM.AU 2 NEWS Obesity A U S T R A L I A RD TALKS OURSTORIES ASPODCASTS The Other Global Pandemic BIRTHDAY TRADITIONS Around The World PAGE!" Would You Get Your DOG’S DNA TESTED? PAGE#$ CROATIA’S COASTLINE Europe’s Hidden Paradise PAGE %%& PAGE'$ Surprising Health Benefits Of NORDIC WALKING PAGE!( Cover June.indd 1 26/4/2023 10:29am J U L Y ! " ! # | T H E W O R L D ’ S B E S T L O V E D M A G A Z I N E | r e a d e r s d i g e s t . c o m . a u HEARING LOSS A U S T R A L I A RD TALKS OURSTORIES ASPODCASTS Help For PAGE!" THE LABELLING EPIDEMIC Is Self- Diagnosis Becoming A Problem? PAGE#$ My Journey Through THE DARK WEB PAGE%& New Zealand’s SHARK CRUSADER PAGE$' How To Update Your MEDICINE CABINET PAGE ((' Call !"## "## #"# or visit readersdigest.com.au/subscribe TO SUBSCRIBE OR ORDER YOUR GIFT SUBSCRIPTION + FREE GIFT + FREE DELIVERY + FREE DIGITAL ACCESS CALL CENTRE HOURS: MONDAY!FRIDAY 6am–8pm SATURDAY!SUNDAY 6am–6pm (AEST) For more information on our app visit: www.readersdigest.com.au/App A SUBSCRIPTION TO THEWORLD’S BEST LOVEDMAGAZINE $!" FOR !" ISSUES SAVE #$% NOR ORDER NOW! $%&$,''' IN CASH TO BEWON NEWS ZOË MEUNIER NEWS From page 1 Tyler McGee, Head of APAC at McA- fee said of the report: “It’s clear that ad- vanced arti!cial intelligence tools have already changed the game for cybercrim- inals. Now, with very little e"ort, they can clone a person’s voice and deceive a close contact into sending money.” While young people (18-29 years old) are most at risk of having their voice cloned due to sharing their voices on- line more frequently, it is the older gen- erations who are most at risk of being scammed – with 47% of those aged 50-65 completely unaware of the existence of these types of voice cloning or AI scams. McAfee surveyed 1,004 Australians and performed a detailed analysis of the rise of AI voice-cloning technology and cy- bercriminal use. #eir report found 61% of Aussies lack the con!dence to tell the di"erence between an AI voice and a real voice, which is a major concern. Mean- while, 43%of adults share their voice data online or in recorded notes at least once a week (via social media, voice notes and more). As social media usage continues to surge, so does the likelihood of Austral- ians unknowingly handing out ammu- nition to cybercriminals, putting both themselves and family and friends at risk. #e !nancial impact is already being felt, with 62% of Aussies having either lost themselves, or known someone who has lost, between $500 to $5,000 dollars due to an AI voice scam. #e ACCC’s 2022 Targeting Scams Re- port found scams in general are on the rise, with Australians losing at least $3.1 billion in 2022, an 80% increase on total losses recorded in 2021. #e report re- vealed that almost $100 million was lost to cyber scams in the 50-65 year old age group alone. Now with the rise of the even more insidious online voice scams, internet users must be more vigilant than ever to remain safe. At present, 41% of all Australians said they would respond and share money based on a voicemail or voice note pur- porting to be from a friend or loved one in distress. As part of their research, McAfee Labs’ team investigated the accessibility, ease of use, and e$cacy of AI voice-cloning tools, and foundmore than a dozen freely available on the internet. Both free and paid tools are accessible, with many requiring only a basic lev- el of experience and expertise to use. In one instance, just three seconds of audio was enough to produce an 85% match based on the McAfee researchers’ as- sessment, but with more investment and e"ort it’s possible to increase the accura- cy. By training the data models, McAfee researchers were able to achieve a 95% voice match based on just a small num- ber of video !les. “It’s important to remain vigilant and to take proactive steps to keep you and your AI fuelling voice scams loved ones safe,” says McGee. “Should you receive a call from your spouse or a family member in distress and asking for money, verify the caller – use a codeword, or ask a question only they would know. Identity and privacy protection services will also help limit the digital footprint of personal information that a criminal can use to develop a compelling narrative when creating a voice clone.” Avoid becoming the latest victim of AI voice cloning scams by being ever vigilant and using the methods described above Photo: Getty Images How to protect yourself from AI voice cloning • Set a verbal ‘codeword’ with kids, family members or trusted close friends that only they could know. Make a plan to always ask for it if they call, text or email to ask for help, particularly if they’re older or more vulnerable. • Always question the source – If it’s a call, text or email from an unknown sender, or even if it’s a number you recognise, stop, pause and think. Does that really sound like them and something they might ask? Hang up and call the person directly or try to verify the information before responding and certainly before sending money. • Think before you click and share – who is in your social media network? Do you really know and trust them? Be thoughtful about the friends and connections you have online. The wider your connections and the more you share, the greater the risk that your identity may be cloned for malicious purposes. • Identity theft protection services can help make sure your personally LGHQWLȴDEOH LQIRUPDWLRQ LV QRW accessible or notify you if it makes its way to the Dark Web. Take control of your personal data to avoid a cybercriminal being able to pose as you. 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