Submission + - Fraudsters Deepfake CEO's Voice To Trick Manager Into Transferring $243,000 (thenextweb.com)
An anonymous reader writes: In March, criminals sought the help of commercially available voice-generating AI software to impersonate the boss of a German parent company that owns a UK-based energy firm. They then tricked the latter’s chief executive into urgently wiring said funds to a Hungarian supplier in an hour, with guarantees that the transfer would be reimbursed immediately. The company CEO, hearing the familiar slight German accent and voice patterns of his boss, is said to have suspected nothing, the report said.
But not only was the money not reimbursed, the fraudsters posed as the German CEO to ask for another urgent money transfer. This time, however, the British CEO refused to make the payment. As it turns out, the funds the CEO transferred to Hungary were eventually moved to Mexico and other locations. Authorities are yet to determine the culprits behind the cybercrime operation. The firm was insured by Euler Hermes Group, which covered the entire cost of the payment. The names of the company and the parties involved were not disclosed.
But not only was the money not reimbursed, the fraudsters posed as the German CEO to ask for another urgent money transfer. This time, however, the British CEO refused to make the payment. As it turns out, the funds the CEO transferred to Hungary were eventually moved to Mexico and other locations. Authorities are yet to determine the culprits behind the cybercrime operation. The firm was insured by Euler Hermes Group, which covered the entire cost of the payment. The names of the company and the parties involved were not disclosed.
