Cybersecurity experts are warning the public about a sophisticated new scam that exploits facial recognition technology to gain unauthorized access to victims’ financial accounts.
The scam typically begins with a phone call, text message, or email informing the target, often an older adult, that they have won a substantial cash prize, lottery, or sweepstakes. The fraudsters then persuade the victim to participate in a FaceTime video call, claiming it is necessary to verify their identity and finalize the prize claim.
During the video call, scammers secretly record images and footage of the victim’s face. Security experts warn that this biometric data may later be used in attempts to bypass facial recognition authentication systems used by banks, financial institutions, and mobile payment platforms.
Authorities say the criminals exploit the trust and excitement generated by the promise of a large financial reward to convince victims to cooperate. Once the facial data is captured, fraudsters may combine it with other stolen personal information to carry out identity theft, account takeovers, or financial fraud.
The warning follows reports of victims suffering significant financial losses after falling for the scheme. Consumer protection groups and cybersecurity professionals are urging the public to be cautious of unsolicited prize notifications and requests for video verification.
Experts advise individuals to avoid participating in video calls with unknown parties claiming to represent sweepstakes organizations, lotteries, or prize programs. Legitimate organizations generally do not require FaceTime calls to verify winners or collect biometric information.
Anyone who receives such a request is encouraged to end the communication immediately and report the incident to the relevant authorities.
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