Your Family Member Is Calling for Help. But Is It Really Them?

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“Scammers have always relied on urgency and emotion, but AI can make those tactics much more believable.”

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“Hearing what sounds like the voice of someone you love can cause you to react before you have time to question what you're hearing. That feeling is exactly what the scammer is counting on.”

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“Your ears alone may no longer be enough to verify someone's identity.”

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“Families should have another way to confirm that the person calling is really who they claim to be.”

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“Taking an extra minute to make another phone call can make all the difference.”

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“If someone tells you there's an emergency and you can't hang up, can't contact anyone else or have to send money immediately, that's a reason to become more cautious, not less. The more urgent the request is, the more suspicious it should be.”

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“Technology will continue to change, and scams will change with it, getting more and more complex every day.”

Dustin Howard, Head of Information Security at Mercury Insurance

“The best defense is having a Family Verification Plan and using this plan in your family's routine. Trust but verify; trust the person you love but verify that the person contacting you is actually them. Stop, verify, THEN act.”