By Roy Urrico
Finopotamus aims to highlight white papers, surveys, blogs and reports that provide a glimpse as to what is taking place and/or impacting credit unions and other organizations in the financial services industry.
Here we focus on general security issues generated from artificial intelligence (AI), porch piracy, and blackmail letters in this roundup.
How to Avoid AI Scams
New findings from data collection experts, SOAX, explore the best ways to avoid being scammed after the release of Sesame AI, an artificial intelligence -based voice assistant platform. Sesame AI introduced a demo of their realistic human-like voice software in February, 2025 triggering worldwide searches for ‘Sesame AI’ to rise by 192% in seven days.
Global searches for ‘voice AI’ and ‘AI scam’ also reached a 12-month high, rising by 20% and 69% respectively, representing universal concerns over AI scams. (Note: All data was collected as of March 5 2025 via Google Trends.)
Fraudulent phone calls are an example of ever-evolving AI scams. With technology like Sesame AI, scammers will be better able to produce realistic voice simulations to impersonate family members and ask people for money.
“With the rapid advancement of AI-driven voice technology, it is more important than ever to remain vigilant against potential scams. Individuals should be cautious when receiving unexpected phone calls, especially those requesting financial information or urgent action,” said Stepan Solovev, CEO and co-founder of SOAX. “Social media makes it easy for scammers to find their targets. A public Instagram account, for example, allows cybercriminals to collect personal information such as photos, mobile numbers, and voice recordings. As such, having a private account is necessary for combatting AI fraud in 2025.
Solovev added, “To further mitigate the risk of falling victim to these scams, always verify the caller’s identity through a secondary method, such as calling back on a trusted number or creating a safe word with your loved ones beforehand. Additionally, staying informed about the latest fraud tactics and enabling multi-factor authentication on financial accounts can provide an extra layer of security.” Scam detection tools, such as Norton Genie, will also help people identify scams, he suggested. “While AI presents many exciting possibilities, awareness and precaution remain key to protecting oneself in this evolving digital landscape."
Which U.S. States Are Most Likely to Get Packages Stolen?
New research has revealed the U.S. states that are most likely to have packages stolen, with Florida coming out on top. The study by location intelligence experts Loqate analyzed data from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer related to reports of larceny-theft from a property to determine which states have the highest rates based on the latest data from December 2023.
Florida is the U.S. state most likely to have packages stolen. The rate of property larceny-theft in the state sits at 433 reports per 100,000 people, over double any other state. However, Florida’s theft rate has dropped significantly from a high in December 2018, which saw 1,627 reports per 100,000 people.
New Mexico takes second on the list, with a rate of 169 reports per 100,000 people. New Mexico’s current theft rate is just below its five-year high in January 2020, with 176 reports per 100,000 people.
Third place is Oregon, which saw a rate of 150 reports per 100,000 people. This number was at its highest in October 2020, with 186 reports per 100,000 people.
Colorado takes fourth place on the list, with a rate of 149 reports per 100,000 people. The highest rate was seen in August of 2022, with 181 reports per 100,000 people.
Rounding out the top five is the state of Washington. The state saw around 147 reports per 100,000 people in the latest data, and this number was at its highest in March 2022, with 207 reports per 100,000 people.
“With home deliveries becoming more and more common, package theft has undoubtedly grown as an issue along with this as well,” commented Michelle Moses, director of sales & partnerships at Loqate. “While it is primarily an issue that affects urban communities, it's clear from this list that it’s an issue across the country. It is important that homeowners take security measures such as using doorbell cameras and package lockers, as well as making use of signature-required deliveries where possible.”
FBI Warns of Data Extortion Targeting Corporate Executives
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released an alert warning of a scam involving criminal actors masquerading as the “BianLian Group.” The cyber criminals target corporate executives, which may include those at financial institutions, by sending extortion letters threatening to release victims’ sensitive information unless payment is received.
Stamped “Time Sensitive Read Immediately,” the letter claims the “BianLian Group” gained access into the organization’s network and stole thousands of sensitive data files. The letter then goes on to threaten that the victim’s data will be published to BianLian’s data leak sites if recipients do not use an included QR code linked to a Bitcoin wallet to pay between $250,000 and $500,000 within 10 days from receipt of the letter, claiming the group will not negotiate further with victims.
FBI assesses the letters are an attempt to scam organizations into paying a ransom. The letter contains a U.S.-based return address of “BianLian Group” originating from Boston. “We have not yet identified any connections between the senders and the widely-publicized BianLian ransomware and data extortion group,” read the FBI warning.
FBI requests victims report any incident to their local FBI Field Office or (IC3).