Fraudsters Imitate Italy's Defense Minister Using AI Technology

A recent case of telephone fraud in Italy has highlighted the alarming potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in criminal activities. A prominent Italian entrepreneur, Massimo Moratti, fell victim to a sophisticated scam in which the fraudsters mimicked the voice of the country's Defense Minister using advanced AI techniques. This incident resulted in Moratti being scammed out of nearly one million euros.

The attempted fraud occurred when the perpetrators contacted Moratti, the head of the oil company Saras and former owner of the famous football club Inter Milan, claiming that urgent funds were needed to secure the release of Italian journalists allegedly held hostage in the Middle East. The scammers presented their story as part of a highly classified operation, asserting that immediate payment was necessary to facilitate the journalists' release.

Thanks to prompt action from Italian law enforcement, authorities were able to freeze and secure the funds amounting to EUR980,000 that Moratti had transferred to the scammers' accounts in the Netherlands. The fraudsters attempted to transfer the funds to a bank account in Hong Kong just before the money was intercepted.

The scammers initially reached out to a number of high-profile business leaders in Italy, impersonating senior military officials, key staff members from the Defense Ministry, and even the Defense Minister himself, Guido Crosetto. Their tactic involved leveraging manipulated voices created through AI technology, making their claims sound credible.

While many of their calls did not lead to successful conversations, a few individuals, including Moratti, were duped into believing the fabricated narrative. The situation was revealed when some victims attempted to call back the supposed military personnel and government officials.

Initially, Moratti denied fulfilling the payment demands of the scammers. However, following the successful intervention by law enforcement, he expressed relief at the recovery of his funds, noting that he had lost hope of seeing the money again. He acknowledged the professionalism displayed by the scammers, who had conducted a series of convincing calls over the course of two days. Moratti reflected on the emotional response to the distressing situation, saying he was inclined to believe the story of kidnapped journalists and their desperate families.

Defense Minister Crosetto took to public channels to raise awareness about the fraudulent scheme, urging other business leaders to be vigilant against similar attempts. He filed a report against unknown perpetrators for identity theft as part of the ongoing investigation. Notable figures targeted alongside Moratti included fashion moguls Giorgio Armani and Patrizio Bertelli of Prada, as well as executives from the tire manufacturer Pirelli and members of the Beretta family.

The credibility of the scam was further amplified by recent real-life events, including the recent release of an Italian journalist who had been held in Iran and the ongoing captivity of humanitarian worker Alberto Trentini in Venezuela. These genuine situations likely contributed to the persuasive power of the fraudsters' narrative.