How Aussie AI Bots Are Fighting Scammers at Their Own Game

• AI-security
• scam-prevention
• cybercrime

Learn how AI-powered bots from CommBank and Apate.ai are turning the tables on scammers by wasting their time and gathering fraud intelligence.

AI Bots Join the Battle Against Scammers in Australia

Linda Williams sounds like your average Australian, fumbling through her wallet to find her credit card while speaking with a supposed fraud department. But here's the twist – she's not real. Williams is one of many AI-generated bots designed to combat cyber scammers by wasting their time and collecting vital intelligence.

How the Scam Baiting Works

These lifelike bots, including the fictional Williams, are part of a strategic initiative by Commonwealth Bank and Apate.ai, an artificial intelligence firm born out of Macquarie University. Each day, these bots make about 10,000 phone calls and handle around 2500 text exchanges with scammers. Their purpose? To engage scammers long enough to prevent them from contacting real Australians and to gather data on scamming methods.

• Realistic personas: The bots are crafted to mimic genuine Australian voices, using local slang and realistic backstories.
• Advanced deception: Bots are equipped to respond with natural language, emotional tones, and cultural nuances to remain convincing.

The Tech Behind the Bots

Apate.ai collaborates with telcos to deploy a network of dummy phone numbers, strategically seeded online as 'honeypots' to attract scammers. Once contacted, these numbers route calls to the AI bots, triggering realistic and lengthy conversations.

“We’re flipping the script,” said James Roberts, CommBank’s general manager of group fraud. “Every minute a scammer talks to a bot, they're not targeting a real person.”

Gaining the Upper Hand with Intelligence

While wasting scammers’ time is a key benefit, the program also plays a critical role in intelligence gathering. By listening to scam calls, the system identifies new fraud tactics as they emerge. This information is then used to enhance fraud detection algorithms and block suspicious transactions in real time.

• Intelligence sharing: CommBank shares its findings with other banks and agencies to bolster collective defences.
• Continuous learning: AI bots are updated regularly with new scam tactics and conversational cues.

Industry-Wide Collaboration

Professor Dali Kaafar, CEO of Apate.ai, highlighted that no single entity can tackle this issue alone. By pooling resources and intelligence, Australia aims to become one of the most difficult targets for international scam operations.

This approach aligns with broader banking strategies, as other institutions like Westpac and NAB also invest in AI-driven tools for scam detection and customer protection. In May, Westpac unveiled its own AI call assistant designed to detect scam indicators during live calls with customers.

The Future of Scam Prevention

With cybercriminals increasingly using AI to enhance their scams, the financial sector is fighting fire with fire. The use of AI bots like Linda Williams signals a new era in fraud prevention—one where artificial intelligence not only protects but actively counterattacks.

As scammers become more sophisticated, so too must our defences. Thanks to collaborative innovation and AI, the tide is beginning to turn in Australia’s favour.