“Daisy” Fights Phone Scammers

AI-Powered Grandmother “Daisy” Fights Phone Scammers by Wasting Their Time

In a creative move to combat phone scammers, the British telecom company O2 has introduced a unique AI-powered solution: a virtual grandmother named Daisy. Designed to engage scammers in lengthy conversations, Daisy not only wastes their time but also helps protect potential victims from falling prey to fraudulent schemes.

How Daisy Works

Daisy is programmed to simulate the conversational style of an elderly woman, complete with anecdotes about family, hobbies like knitting, and a generally chatty demeanor. Her number has been deliberately added to databases that scammers commonly use to target victims. When scammers call Daisy, they are met with her friendly yet persistent chatter, making it difficult for them to move on to other targets.

During testing, Daisy managed to keep scammers on the phone for as long as 40 minutes, a significant achievement in disrupting their operations. By wasting the scammers’ time, Daisy not only reduces the number of calls they can make but also highlights how AI can be creatively deployed to tackle social issues.

Why It Matters

Phone scams disproportionately target vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, who may be more trusting or less familiar with common scam tactics. Initiatives like Daisy:

• Protect potential victims by diverting scammers’ efforts.

• Educate the public about the risks and tactics used in fraudulent calls.

• Demonstrate the potential of AI in addressing everyday problems.

O2’s innovative use of AI showcases how technology can be a force for good, turning the tables on scammers and giving people a sense of security.

Key Takeaways for Consumers

To stay safe from phone scams:

1. Be cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers.

2. Never share personal or financial information over the phone.

3. Hang up and verify the caller’s legitimacy through official channels.

Learn More

You can find more details about this initiative in the following articles:

• The Sun: How O2 is using AI to fight fraud calls

• The Times: Meet the AI grandma fighting scammers

Daisy’s development is a reminder that humor and creativity, when paired with technology, can make a meaningful difference in addressing modern challenges like phone scams.