British telecom giant Virgin Media O2 has unveiled Daisy, a chatbot designed to fight scams by turning the tables on fraudsters. Modelled after a witty and wise British grandmother, Daisy uses conversational AI to waste scammers' time and gather critical data for law enforcement.
Daisy’s approach automates "scambaiting," a tactic where scammers are tricked into lengthy conversations to expose their methods and disrupt their operations. Operating 24/7, Daisy interacts with fraudsters in real time, mimicking human behaviour and steering conversations toward harmless topics like her imaginary cat, Fluffy, or her passion for knitting. This prevents scammers from targeting real victims while gathering intelligence to improve anti-fraud measures.
O2’s introductory video showcases Daisy as a photorealistic woman with grey hair, glasses, and pearls, chatting on a pink landline. “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 quips in the video.
Daisy’s voice and personality were crafted with help from a London-based agency, drawing inspiration from a team member’s grandmother to create her believable persona. O2’s anti-fraud team also strategically inserted Daisy’s dedicated phone number into scammers’ contact lists, ensuring she remains a target.
By imitating an elderly person—often a prime target for scammers—Daisy exploits fraudsters’ biases. O2 explained that Daisy not only disrupts scams but also educates customers about common tactics used by criminals, helping them stay vigilant.
