AI-driven phishing scams target Kazakhstan parents ahead of Teacher's Day

The General Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan has issued a warning to parents and citizens regarding a surge in phishing schemes ahead of Teacher's Day. Fraudsters are using artificial intelligence to lure victims into purchasing fictitious gift sets for educators.

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Phone scammer

The Mechanics of the Scheme

According to the Committee for Legal Statistics of the General Prosecutor's Office, the scam utilizes AI to generate images of non-existent products and create high-fidelity "clone" websites that mimic legitimate online stores. Links to these sites are distributed via messaging apps.

The interaction is further automated through AI-powered chatbots that act as sales assistants, simulating polite customer service to guide the user toward a purchase and urging rapid payment. Once the funds are transferred, the buyers receive neither the product nor their money back.

"To deceive, fraudsters use artificial intelligence to create images of non-existent goods, and a chatbot answers the buyer instead of a seller. These sites look like real stores, but after payment, the buyer risks remaining without money and a gift," the Committee stated.

Preventative Measures and Financial Security

To avoid financial loss, prosecutors advise citizens to avoid clicking on random links from newsletters or unfamiliar banners. The authorities emphasize that PIN codes, CVV codes from the back of bank cards, and SMS passwords from banking applications must never be shared with third parties.

The General Prosecutor's Office recommends the following steps for secure shopping:

• Independently locate official store websites or applications via search engines rather than following provided links.
• Thoroughly verify the seller's credentials before making any prepayment.
• Immediately block bank cards and file a report with law enforcement if card details have been compromised or suspicious transactions are detected.

Teacher's Day was first observed in Kazakhstan in 2023.