A recent discovery by a Thai blogger has raised alarms about the potential misuse of the AI chatbot, ChatGPT, due to its ability to generate fake documents, particularly bank transfer slips.
The blogger, known as “Kafaak,” shared this discovery on Facebook on 27 March. In his post, he shared a modified bank slip showing a transfer of THB 400,000 (USD 11,800) to his account, a sum that was entirely fabricated by the AI.
According to Kafaak, the original slip was a record of him transferring THB 23,000 (USD 678) to himself.
However, after asking ChatGPT to alter the details, including changing the name on the slip to “Grandpa Buffet” and increasing the transfer amount to THB 400,000 (USD 11,800), the result was convincing.
“The AI even adjusted the reference numbers, making the forged document appear highly authentic,” he noted in the caption. “While some minor spelling errors appeared in the Thai text, I noticed that the English texts and Arabic numbers were accurate. Even if mistakes were to occur, they can easily be fixed.”
Kafaak also highlighted that ChatGPT could even imitate the watermark on the bank slip, making it harder for the average person to detect the forgery.
He advised his followers to verify the actual balance in their accounts to confirm any deposits, cautioning that simply checking the receipt may no longer be sufficient to ensure the legitimacy of a transaction.
Warning From AI Expert
The revelation has sparked further concerns among experts in the field.
Piyarit Ittichaiwong, co-founder of Preceptor AI, publicly echoed Kafaak’s warning on his personal Facebook account, pointing out that the latest version of GPT-4, which includes image generation capabilities, can now create and modify documents with alarming realism.
According to the expert, these could range from bank slips to medical certificates and other official documents, making it almost impossible to distinguish the forged versions from the real ones.
“The implications of such technology are far-reaching. Experts warn that the ability to forge financial and official documents could cause significant damage,” Piyarit emphasized on his personal Facebook account. “Forging such documents is already a serious offense, but using AI to deceive others could complicate the matter further, especially if it leads to financial or reputational harm.”
To protect against this emerging threat, Piyarit recommends that individuals take extra precautions when verifying important documents.
He advises checking the actual amount deposited through a bank’s application or setting up notifications via SMS or LINE. Additionally, scanning the QR code on a bank slip can help verify the transaction through the bank’s system.
In the case of medical certificates or other official documents, experts suggest directly contacting the source, such as a hospital, to confirm their authenticity.
Piyarit emphasized the importance of never trusting documents or images that have not been thoroughly checked.