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The Dangers of AI Scams and Deepfakes

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and convincing. AI-powered tools can create hyper-realistic videos, clone voices, and spoof emails and phone numbers, making it challenging to distinguish between genuine and fraudulent communications. As an energy utility company, we want to ensure our customers are aware of these dangers and know how to protect themselves.

Types of AI Scams

AI technology can be used to perform various deceptive actions, including:

  • Fake Videos
    Deepfake technology can produce realistic videos of individuals saying or doing things they never did, spreading misinformation or tricking people into believing false claims.
  • Voice Duplication
    AI can clone voices with high accuracy, enabling scammers to impersonate friends, family members or even company executives.
  • Email and Phone Number Spoofing
    Scammers can use AI to send emails or make calls that appear to come from trusted sources, leading to phishing attacks that trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.
  • Exploitation of Your Digital Footprint
    AI can analyze social media profiles and other online data to create personalized scams that exploit your relationships and interactions.

What AEP Will Never Do

To help you recognize legitimate communications from us, here are some things we will never do:

  • High-Pressure Actions
    We will never pressure you into making immediate decisions or payments.
  • Request Wire Transfers
    We will never ask you to wire money or use pre-paid debit cards for payments.
  • Demand Personal Information
    We will never request sensitive information such as bank account numbers, passwords or Social Security numbers over the phone or via email.
  • Disclose Material Information Outside Our Official Channels or Without Proper Filings
    Disclosure of sensitive information is often subject to any number of laws and regulations. For example, any information material to investors disclosed by the company will be accompanied by a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission and posted on our website .

Red Flags

While AI scams can be highly convincing, there are still some red flags that can help identify them:

  • Unnatural Audio
    AI-generated voices may exhibit unnatural pauses, inflections or robotic-sounding speech.
  • Long Pauses and Awkward Transitions
    Scammers may struggle to maintain a natural conversation flow, resulting in noticeable pauses and awkward transitions.
  • Unconventional Requests
    Be cautious of unexpected requests for personal or financial information, especially if they are accompanied by a sense of urgency.

What to Do If You're Unsure

If you receive a suspicious communication and are unsure whether it is legitimate, follow these steps:

  • Contact AEP Immediately
    Call us at 800-672-2231. We can tell you if we’ve tried to contact you. We will work with law enforcement as needed.
  • Confirm Investor Information
    Investors can contact us to confirm the latest news and information about the company.

Sources: Chatbots, deepfakes, and voice clones: AI deception for sale | Federal Trade Commission , Deep-Fake Audio and Video Links Make Robocalls and Scam Texts Harder to Spot | Federal Communications Commission, Criminals Increasing Use of Generative AI to Commit Fraud | CFTC