 "Daisy, the latest innovation from British telecom giant Virgin Media O2, has a voice resembling that of a sweet elderly woman, it talks to scammers and waste as much of their time as possible'. Image courtesy: Virginmedia O2")
A savvy AI “granny” is giving scammers a run for their money.
Meet Daisy, the latest innovation from British telecom giant Virgin Media O2, designed to make online fraudsters sweat. This clever chatbot, with a voice resembling that of a sweet elderly woman, has a straightforward mission: to keep scammers talking and “waste as much of their time as possible,” frustrating them just as they do to victims around the globe.
So, who exactly is AI granny Daisy, and how does she manage to outsmart fraudsters? Here’s a closer look at the virtual grandma.
Daisy: ‘The head of scammer relations’
Developed using multiple AI technologies and with the expertise of popular YouTube scambaiter Jim Browning, Daisy is a one-of-a-kind virtual chatbot.
Recently appointed O2’s “Head of Scammer Relations,” Daisy takes on the identity of the elderly—a demographic that often falls prey to fraudsters and expertly mimics human interaction during phone calls.
The virtual grandma then automates “scambaiting”—a strategy where individuals pretend to be potential scam victims to keep fraudsters busy, publicly expose their methods, collect data for law enforcement, and interfere with their operations.
Once activated, the AI bot can engage with fraudsters autonomously, sometimes holding their attention for up to 40 minutes, without needing any intervention from its creators.
According to the company, Daisy has already successfully “wasted hundreds and hundreds of hours of scammers’ time,” helping protect vulnerable individuals from falling prey to online scams.
Unlike her human counterparts, who need breaks, the AI grandma can tirelessly stay on the phone all day and night, never letting the swindlers get away.
“While they’re busy talking to me they can’t be scamming you, and let’s face it, dear, I’ve got all the time in the world,” Daisy, who appears as a photorealistic AI-generated woman with grey hair, glasses, and pearls, conversing on a retro pink landline, said in an introductory video released by the British company.
To create her endearing and believable persona, VCCP Faith, a London-based creative agency, added a unique “personality” layer. Drawing inspiration from the voice of an agency member’s grandmother, they replicated and perfected Daisy’s voice and British accent.
How does Daisy work?
According to Forbes, Daisy works by answering calls in real time and mimicking human conversation to engage with scammers.
Developed by O2’s anti-fraud team, Daisy has her own dedicated phone number, which is deliberately added to scammer contact lists.
When a scammer dials a number linked to Daisy, she combines various AI models to listen to a caller and transcribe their voice into text and then uses a custom large language model to respond through conversations that seem entirely genuine.
For instance, Daisy might chat about her fictional family or imaginary hobbies, effectively playing along with scammers. Her conversations can quickly drift into lengthy stories about her cat, Fluffy, or elaborate tales about her family and knitting projects or fake personal details, leaving the fraudsters frustrated and off-balance.
“It’s nearly been an hour, for the love of (inaudible expletive),” an exasperated scammer groans. Replies the calm and friendly Daisy, “Gosh, how time flies.”
This strategy not only diverts their focus but also collects valuable insights for law enforcement, helping to break down scam operations.
“By tricking the criminals into thinking they were defrauding a real person and playing on scammers’ biases about older people, Daisy has prevented them from targeting real victims and, most importantly, has exposed the common tactics used so customers can better protect themselves,” O2 said in a statement.
Daisy has already been in action for several weeks, aligning her operations with International Fraud Awareness Week (17-23 November). Her ability to lure scammers into focusing on her rather than real targets has become a key element in defrauding scammers.
1 in 5 Brits experience scam attempts each week
As per Virgin Media O2’s ongoing “Swerve the Scammers” campaign, Daisy was created as a response to a Strand Partners study that revealed one in five British citizens encounter a fraud attempt every week.
The study also found that 70 per cent of Britons would like to get their revenge on scammers who target them or their loved ones. Yet, the primary reason people hesitate to engage is the potential waste of time, with 53 per cent citing this concern. Daisy, however, takes on that burden.
Also read: UK prepares to launch one-of-a-kind online fraud charter with tech giants
In the UK, scam calls have been surging, with a recent report by Which? noting a 33 per cent increase in fraud cases in the first half of 2024. As scammers grow more sophisticated, the company urged them to stay vigilant. They recommend forwarding any suspicious calls or messages to the number they provide, as a way to alert authorities and reduce risk.
An AI-powered granny like Daisy won’t be able to completely stop scammers, but she certainly serves as a useful tool in delaying their efforts.
With input from agencies