If you’re a Gmail user—part of a community of nearly 2 billion—it's important to stay informed about a new "super realistic AI scam" targeting users. In a recent blog entry, Microsoft solutions consultant Sam Mitrovic detailed his unsettling encounter with a surprisingly convincing scam. He recounted receiving a notification about a Gmail account recovery attempt. Such messages, whether genuine or fraudulent, can often mark the beginning of many scams. A little over half an hour later, he received a phone call from what appeared to be a legitimate Google number based in Sydney, Australia, which he chose to ignore. Fast forward a week, and he was confronted with another identical notification, followed by another call. This time, he answered. An American voice on the line informed him of suspicious activity on his Google account, mentioning unauthorized access from a week prior. The supposed Google representative offered to send detailed information via email, which soon arrived from an official Google address. As Mitrovic paused to review the email carefully, the voice on the phone chimed in with "Hello. " It repeated the greeting 10 seconds later in the same tone. It was then that he recognized the voice was generated by AI, prompting him to hang up. Had he continued the call, it's likely the caller would’ve sought an account recovery code or directed him to a fraudulent login page. Mitrovic highlighted several red flags that indicated a potential scam.

Here are some tips to help you stay safe: 1. Google sent an account recovery notice that the account holder had not requested. 2. Google does not make calls to personal users; this service is reserved for Business Profile users only. 3. Upon checking his recent logins (accessible by navigating to your profile, then "Security, " and finally "Recent security activity"), he found nothing unusual. 4. A reverse phone lookup revealed that others had received the same scam call. 5. An examination of the full email header (accessible by clicking "more" next to the reply button and selecting "show original") indicated that the "from" address was actually different. 6. The "to" field contained an email address that wasn’t his. Perhaps the clearest warning sign was that Google support — or any tech support — will not unexpectedly contact you about a problem. If anything feels off, it’s wise to err on the side of caution and cease communication until you can learn more. In addition, a recent study revealed that one in four individuals have encountered identity fraud, with many attributing the blame to AI.