In the world of unwanted calls, a new ally has emerged with an approach as ingenious as it is effective: the artificial intelligence grandmother Daisy. Her mission is simple and powerful: keep the scammers busy so they can't fool real users. Far from being just any old bot, it behaves like a charming old person, with endless chatter and endless patience that disarms criminals.
The underlying idea is to turn the game on its head: while a scammer is wasting time with Grandma Daisy, he isn't actually scamming anyone. Virgin Media O2, the British company that created it, claims that the system can hold conversations of up to 40 minutes straight, weaving together stories about family, hobbies like knitting, and even throwing out false information to confuse. All of this is built on technology that, in practice, sounds and acts surprisingly human.
What is Grandma Daisy and why did she hit the nail on the head?
Daisy is a combination of several AI models that work together to listen, understand, and respond to the other end of the line. This mix includes natural language processing and voice cloning, allowing it to maintain a very believable tone, pace, and expressiveness. According to the company, it has been trained with real scammer content and scambaiting techniques, so that it accurately mimics the conversations these criminals hope to have with a victim.
The system doesn't work like a canned answering machine: it talks in real time, reacts to what it hears, and, if necessary, plays dumb to prolong the conversation. Its most effective features include: intricate stories, friendly detours about family and pets, and the delivery of false information that leads nowhere. The goal isn't to convince the scammer of anything, but to exhaust their script and their patience.
A huge, and growing, problem
The numbers help explain why such a tool is so timely. A BDO report estimated that the total value of fraud in the United Kingdom reached £2.300 billion in 2023, more than double the previous year. This upward trend is no coincidence: scammers have become more professional, operating with increasingly sophisticated methods and targeting sensitive profiles.
The University of Portsmouth found that two-thirds of those over 75 reported at least one attempted fraud in the past six months. It's no secret that older people are among the most popular targets for scammers, something Grandma Daisy cleverly exploits by presenting herself as a beloved grandmother who seems like the perfect target. Ironically, that prejudice is precisely what disarms criminals.
How to get around the phone scam
Instead of hanging up or blocking, Daisy dedicates herself to entertain with calm and humor. She makes small misunderstandings, shows interest in the conversation, talks about her passion for knitting, and shares anecdotes about her fictional family. She can even provide false personal data, such as made-up bank numbers, to bog down the scammer's script and further lengthen the call.
This strategy has a double benefit: on the one hand, distracts scammers of their real objectives; on the other hand, it helps expose their usual tactics. The company itself has emphasized that Grandma Daisy has been integrated into its fraud prevention team with a well-defined role: to keep the enemy busy and, in the process, learn from their behavior.
Behind the scenes: The technology that makes Grandma Daisy possible
Beneath this grandmother's skin is a custom-designed system that combines several key pieces. It includes a language model trained for natural conversations, an advanced voice system that replicates believable timbres and intonations, and pattern analysis to detect deceptive strategies and react swiftly. All of this integrates with the operator's existing security measures.
To fine-tune Daisy's personality and knowledge, several generative models A specific LLM was trained on her character and her repertoire of plausible responses. Her voice was modeled after a team member's grandmother, which gives her a striking natural feel; and her public image, used in the campaign, was generated by training a diffusion model with photorealistic results.
Collaboration with scambaiting experts
The tool has been developed in collaboration with renowned scam hunter Jim Browning, famous for uncovering fraudulent call centers. His experience contributed training material and insights into the scripts, silences, and tricks scammers use. This work connects with a growing community of creators fighting fraud, such as the Scammer Payback channel, popular among those who enjoy watching scammers fall into their own traps. That layer of practical experience is... in real life, pure gold for shaping convincing responses.
The development was carried out together with Faith, the artificial intelligence agency of the VCCP group, as part of the Swerve the Scammers initiative. This campaign seeks not only to curb fraud, but also to raise public awareness about the sophistication of current scams, as highlighted by Virgin Media O2's fraud prevention team.
Initial results and public reception
Virgin Media O2 says Daisy has managed to keep numerous scammers online for more than 40 minutes, a remarkable achievement considering that every minute spent with this virtual grandmother is a minute when someone else isn't being scammed. Before International Fraud Awareness Week, November 17-23, Daisy had already been chatting in real time, without human intervention, for weeks.
Beyond effectiveness, the idea connects with a social feeling: a study by the operator indicates that the 71 percent of Britons I'd like to give the scammers their just deserts, but without sacrificing my time. Daisy embodies precisely that: a kind and useful revenge that, moreover, doesn't take up anyone's time.
How O2 redirects scammers to Grandma Daisy
The company invites customers to report suspicious calls or messages free of charge to 7726. With these reports, O2 feeds lists of fraudulent sources and redirects contacts to the AI. This way, when a criminal tries to repeat the trick, they're likely to end up speaking with Daisy, not a potential victim. For the user, the process is simple: forward to 7726 and forget.
It is worth keeping in mind an important nuance: Daisy It does not install, nor is it added as a filter to your line. O2 has created its own number on lists circulating among scammers; thus, scammers who track phones end up calling the virtual grandmother. She, for her part, answers at any time and with infinite patience.
Other technical shields of the operator
The commitment to Grandma Daisy doesn't come alone. O2 has deployed spam filters with AI to detect and block fraudulent messages on a massive scale. Last year alone, it claims to have stopped 89 million malicious SMS messages and intercepted or blocked more than £250 million in suspicious transactions, equivalent to one every two minutes. This is in addition to new, free caller ID services to give customers more context before they pick up the phone.
The company has also called for the British government to take a stronger role in combating fraud, proposing the appointment of a specific minister and the creation of a single national police agency with adequate resources to investigate all cases. The idea is to orchestrate a coordinated response that makes it more difficult for criminals to operate.
Context: How they are scamming today
Telephone fraud is a very lively and constantly evolving ecosystem. In the United Kingdom, O2 estimates that 22 percent of the population experiences a fraud attempt every week and that 67 percent are concerned about becoming a target. In Spain, malicious calls are also proliferating under various pretexts: electricity discounts, luring job offers, nonexistent computer glitches, or supposed gifts. The potential scenarios are endless, and that's why it is advisable to be on the lookout and distrust at the slightest sign.
To illustrate the extent to which some campaigns can go, malware variants such as FakeCall, which incorporates sophisticated vishing tactics, and shocking cases of voice cloning have been detected: a mother in Michigan paid $50.000 after supposedly hearing her daughter's voice. Given this scenario, having proactive tools like Daisy is not a technological whim, but a need.
Most common types of telephone scams
Knowing the most common methods helps you end the call in a timely manner. These are some of the most common techniques, both in Spain and other countries, and it's worth keeping your guard up and applying them. skeptical criterion:
vishing
This involves impersonating a bank, utility company, or operator to extract personal information. They rely on urgency or fear and ask for sensitive data such as passwords or account numbers. The golden rule is clear: a legitimate provider will never ask for your information. credentials by phone.
Double call
First, your supposed company calls you to announce a rate increase; shortly after, your competitor appears with a tempting offer to save you. It's a textbook trick: they create the problem and then sell you the solution. If this happens to you, hang up and contact your company yourself. royal supplier through official channels.
Phantom calls
You pick up the phone and no one speaks. Sometimes they'll use that simple gesture to register that the number is active and sell it to third parties. The prudent thing to do is hang up as soon as possible. block the number on the device.
Voice recording
They start with a "can you hear me" or a closed question to get you to answer yes. They then reuse that audio to authorize payments or subscriptions. Avoid answers. direct affirmatives and cut quickly if you sense any suspicion.
Eavesdropping
The scammer pretends to be a tech support technician and asks you to install a program on your computer. This software allows them to listen to calls or see your activity. Never install anything that comes in through an unsolicited call; if there really is a problem, you'll know from your official channels.
Answering machines
A robot is asking you for information to process a prize, a refund, or an urgent matter. The goal is to gather information that will later be used against you. Hang up and don't provide any information. personal data.
Lost calls
They are fleeting calls from foreign or unknown numbers asking you to return the call. In some cases, they refer you to premium rate numbers. When in doubt, it's better to do not return the call.
Good practices to protect yourself
In addition to reporting it to 7726, the basic recipe works: if you receive a suspicious call, hang up, block it, and verify it yourself. Mark suspicious numbers as spam, carefully review the consent you grant when accepting terms, and sign up for free ad exclusion lists, even though their effectiveness may be limited. The important thing to understand is that, in this business, it only takes a few fall into the trap so that the scammers can make ends meet.
If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if someone rushes you, be immediately suspicious. A legitimate entity will give you time and options; a scammer always needs you to decide now. It's also helpful to discuss these issues with older adults at home: sharing guides and real-life examples greatly reduces the risk of take the bait.
Character, campaign and human part
The construction of the Daisy character is a small work of digital craftsmanship. Her voice was modeled after a team member's grandmother, providing believable tones, pauses, and filler words. Her public image was created with a specifically trained broadcast model, and all of this was presented within the Swerve the Scammers campaign. The influencer participated in the launch audiovisual piece. Amy Hart, who knows firsthand the impact of a scam.
Virgin Media O2's fraud team, led by Murray Mackenzie, highlights that Daisy fits into a multifaceted approach: on the one hand, it disrupts operations, on the other, it draws attention to the current sophistication of fraud and the need to remain vigilant. It's technology with a purpose, serving a social problem that affects anyone.
What Daisy Isn't, and Why It Matters
It's worth emphasizing that this isn't a feature you can activate on your personal phone. It isn't installed, nor is it added as a filter to your line. O2 has created its own number that circulates on scammers' lists so that they are the ones who fall prey to the scam. It's a pragmatic approach: instead of trying to block everything, the operator absorbs part of the attack and transforms it into... lost time for the criminal.
It's also important to be clear about expectations: Daisy doesn't eliminate fraud on its own, and scammers will continue to try new tactics. But as part of a broader system of filters, caller ID, AI analysis, and citizen cooperation, it adds up to a tangible impact. Every minute it steals is one less opportunity for someone to become a victim. real victim.
The role of society and the immediate future
Citizens have an active role to play. Forwarding suspicious messages and calls to 7726 is simple and multiplies the effectiveness of blocking tools. In addition, operators gather actionable intelligence on ongoing campaigns and compromised numbers. The more reports, the better the system works. collective shield.
Looking ahead, we'll see more use of generative models to detect fraud patterns, more integration with call tracking systems, and greater transparency about who's calling you and why. At the same time, criminals will continue to explore vectors like voice cloning and phishing. In this tug-of-war, innovations like Daisy set the tone: proactive, credible and human in form, but with a surgical logic underneath.
A touch of psychology: why the grandmother facade works
Much of her success is due to exploiting a bias: many con artists believe that older people are easy targets. Grandma Daisy uses that expectation against them. With a warm voice and endearing anecdotes, she seems gentle, but her script is geared toward take away their time and extract information about their tactics. This approach also humanizes the defense and creates a powerful narrative that helps educate the public.
In parallel, the alternative nickname Granny has circulated in some communications, reinforcing the idea that the character is relatable and recognizable. This touch of identity, combined with the public campaign, helps the project transcend the technical and penetrate the social conversation about fraud and how it affects society. stand up to him.
Impact and metrics that matter
Beyond the initial examples of prolonged calls, the impact is measured on several fronts: number of reports to 7726, volume of malicious SMS blocked, early detection of active campaigns, and intercepted suspicious transactions. The data shared by O2 shows that the combination of measures manages to stop millions of attempts and stop hundreds of millions of pounds in fraudulent movements.
The company has also been clear on one point: technology alone is not enough. Hence its call for a stronger and more coordinated institutional response that complements the work of operators, the police, and civil society. Fraud is not a niche problem; it's a phenomenon. transversal and massive.
Daisy has established itself as a practical and effective experiment: turns scammers into victims of their own time, demonstrates in an educational way how they operate and reinforces the protection ecosystem with AI, 7726 reporting, and proactive filtering. For those who receive annoying calls daily, knowing there's a virtual grandmother willing to chat endlessly with scammers is, at the very least, a breath of relief and a sign that fraud can also be fought with ingenuity. Share this information and help other people learn about Grandma Daisy and how to use her..