O2 creates AI tool that wastes phone scammers' time by pretending to be elderly woman

Mobile operator O2 has developed an AI-powered tool that mimics the voice of an elderly grandmother, designed to keep phone scammers engaged and away from the general public.

The telecoms giant said it created this "scambaiter" tool in response to research showing that seven out of 10 people wanted to get their own back on scammers but didn't want to waste their own time doing so. The company collaborated with leading scambaiters – individuals who disrupt scammer networks – to get phone numbers associated with its AI tool, known as Daisy, added to lists used by scammers to target vulnerable consumers.

Daisy was given the voice of an elderly grandmother to exploit scammer biases about older people. The tool has been successful in keeping numerous scammers on calls for up to 40 minutes at a time, frustrating them with rambling stories and explanations about their tech use, as well as providing false personal information and fabricated bank details.

By tricking fraudsters into thinking they were scamming a real person, Daisy has not only prevented them from targeting actual victims but also exposed common tactics used so the firm can help customers better protect themselves.

Murray MacKenzie, director of fraud at Virgin Media O2, stated: "We’re committed to playing our part in stopping the scammers, investing in everything from firewall to block out scam texts to AI-powered spam call detection to keep our customers safe."

"The newest member of our fraud-prevention team, Daisy, is turning the tables on scammers – outsmarting and outmanoeuvring them at their own cruel game simply by keeping them on the line. But crucially, Daisy is also a reminder that no matter how persuasive someone on the other end of the phone may be, they aren’t always who you think they are."

"With scammers operating full-time call centres specifically to target Brits, we’re urging everyone to remain vigilant and help play their part in stopping fraud by forwarding on dodgy calls and texts to 7726 for free."

The tool has been initiated as part of Virgin Media O2’s latest drive, the 'Swerve the Scammers' campaign, actively engaged during the lead-up to International Fraud Awareness Week, set to take place next week.