One of the most prevalent methods of fraud currently observed in Azerbaijan involves voice imitation through artificial intelligence.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, this was stated by Ramil Ashrafov, head of department at the Main Department for Combating Cybercrime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, during a forum in Baku titled "Consumers in the modern digital world: e-commerce, digital services, and security issues."
"In this process, fraudsters first call a target citizen to record their voice or obtain voice samples from video footage shared on social networks. Subsequently, the person's voice is imitated using specialized artificial intelligence programs," Ashrafov explained.
He noted that criminals use these fake voice programs to call the citizen's close relatives. As a result, the recipient of the call, believing they are truly speaking to a relative or acquaintance, transfers the requested funds to the fraudsters' accounts, thereby completing the crime.
According to the department head, another dangerous method involves the falsification of email addresses: "Fraudsters create fake addresses that visually closely resemble the email addresses of various companies, government agencies, or specific individuals. Letters sent from these addresses create the impression of official documents."
The text of the email usually contains fake information regarding invoices, payment orders, or changes in bank details. Company executives or responsible persons, believing these emails are official, redirect payments to the new bank details provided by the fraudsters. Consequently, the funds are deposited directly into accounts controlled by the criminals and are misappropriated.
In recent years, Azerbaijan has significantly strengthened its legal and technical framework to combat cybercrime. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service regularly conduct awareness campaigns to protect citizens from digital threats. As the Republic of Azerbaijan continues its digital transformation, authorities urge the public to verify all financial requests received via digital platforms and to use multi-factor authentication to secure personal and corporate accounts.
