Case openai-wrong-number-task-scamAI phishingJun 9, 2025United Kingdom

Wrong Number: Cambodia task scam used ChatGPT to translate SMS lures into six languages

A centralised Cambodia-based operation generated recruitment-style messages in six languages offering pay for trivial tasks, routing responders from SMS to WhatsApp to a Telegram mentor; one lure hit an OpenAI staffer.

MediumAttack using AIStatus: ContainedVerified case file

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Reported: Jun 9, 2025
Location: United Kingdom
Target: UK mobile users recruited via SMS, WhatsApp and Telegram
Severity: Medium
Triggered by: Unknown Cambodia-based scam operation
Actor type: Criminal
Reported loss: None reported
CVE: None

What happened

Impact: Scam reach extended to UK numbers; losses not quantified.

Who triggered it

Actor: Unknown Cambodia-based scam operation

Attribution: OpenAI assessed the operation as likely originating in Cambodia; entities not independently verified.

Motive: Task-scam fraud

How it happened

Attack vector: Translation between Chinese and victim languages for SMS and chat lures

Root cause: Scam centres embedding LLM translation into existing workflows

Timeline

Jun 2025Lure SMS sent to UK numbers, one belonging to an OpenAI investigator
Jun 9, 2025OpenAI publishes the Wrong Number case and bans the accounts

Response

Accounts banned; indicators shared with partners.

Current status: Contained

Sources (open in a new tab)

OpenAI Wrong Number case study openai.com
OpenAI June 2025 report PDF cdn.openai.com

Cite this case

Wrong Number: Cambodia task scam used ChatGPT to translate SMS lures into six languages. AI Threat Watch, case openai-wrong-number-task-scam, Jun 9, 2025. https://aithreat.io/cases/openai-wrong-number-task-scam/

Permanent link: https://aithreat.io/cases/openai-wrong-number-task-scam/