One simple question can stop a deepfake scammer immediately

Whenever I speak with security experts (particularly those who work on software designed to protect consumers), I always like to ask what their top advice is to combat the latest threats.

So, when I had the opportunity to chat with Steve Grobman, chief technology officer at McAfee, I picked his brain about deepfake audio and video scams. Not only are scammers focusing their efforts on everyday people who never suspect they could be targeted, but the real-time impersonations of voices and whole likenesses during calls keep getting ever-more convincing. No one expects Aunt Susan to be a random dude in a call center across the world, faking an emergency that requires a cash bailout.

He gave me one really easy, simple tip for verifying that someone is who they say they are. Ask a low-key question that only they would know.

The example he used was if a spouse called: “Hey, what did we have for dinner last night?”

The goal is to ask something mundane and not easily guessed. Something casual that only they could answer, but is still open ended. (It might not even involve a real factor in your lives.) Ex: “What was that soap you recommended to me?” or “Where’s the extra cat litter?” Aim for basics so boring that they’d never post about it on social media or talk about it with others.

And if that other person is someone who posts on social media about their whole lives? Recalibrate. Perhaps ask about something they’d never tell anybody else.

This idea is similar to the notion of having a predetermined phrase (basically, a verbal password)—it helps verify that you’re speaking to the real person, not a deepfake. And if you’re feeling particularly suspicious? You can pose more than one security question to them. And continue to get more esoteric the greater the stakes.

Also, another tip from me: For the sake of your relationships, you may want to tell people in your life that you plan to do this. Otherwise if they end up in a bind and you counter with a bunch of suspicion, things could go a bit south.