If In Doubt, Put The Phone Down!

On Tuesday 11^th May, BBC Radio Kent interviewed Guildhawk’s Head of Integrity and Multilingual Due Diligence, David Clarke, in his capacity as Chair of the Fraud Advisory Panel charity. Responding to new fraud figures that had just been released (more than 12,000 calls to Action Fraud about scams in Kent alone in last 12 months!), David called on the Government to “put fraud on the agenda” and for digital platforms to take ownership of protecting their users online.

Among other points, David flagged how the AI technologies to protect people are available and they work! So why won’t platforms take responsibility for implementing them? Especially when these platforms have benefitted greatly in the same pandemic period that has seen so many individuals targeted! AI can be used to such great effect for good, as David knows from his work with Guildhawk’s AI and machine learning technologies, so why is it laying idle in the midst of a battle it could help to fight?

Speaking directly to Government, David urged them to treat fraud with the gravity it deserves – comparing the ramifications of stealing millions online to the ramifications of robbing a bank, and noting that this is all money being stolen from our future, our town centres, our businesses, and our grandkids.

Finally, David’s advice for individuals: Trust your gut, and trust your friends. Talk to friends about any suspicions you may have, and please don’t be embarrassed to report – these sophisticated scams could truly fool anyone! Never transfer money, and if in any doubt at all, just put the phone down! Better to be too cautious than to be pressured into an action you regret!

You can listen to the full segment from BBC Radio Kent below.