Kingston Police warn of Facebook ads promoting fake AI downloads

There has been a lot of buzz about artificial intelligence (AI) lately, and Kingston Police have become aware of a scam focused on AI’s popularity.

In a media release, Kingston Police stated that many people have started using AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Google Bard. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are taking advantage of AI’s popularity to steal sensitive information, police noted.

“In a recent scam, cybercriminals created fake Facebook ads for free downloads of AI products,” Kingston Police said. “If you click one of these ads, you’ll be prompted to download a fake file. Once you download the file, malware will be activated on your device. Cybercriminals can use this malware to steal sensitive information, such as your credit card numbers and passwords.”

Police provided the following tips to help everyone stay safe from similar scams:

• Cybercriminals can buy ads anywhere. So always think before you click.
• Only download files from trusted sources, such as the official Google or AI website.
• Watch out for ads that prompt you to click links instead of visiting official websites.
• Before you click an ad, hover your mouse over it to view the related link. Make sure that the link leads to a legitimate, safe website that corresponds with the content in the ad.