Victims are reporting a new phenomenon known as 'AI doxxing', where artificial intelligence chatbots such as Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT share personal phone numbers without consent. One individual described receiving constant calls from strangers seeking legal advice, product design, or locksmith services, all claiming they obtained the number from Google's AI. The victim called it a 'massive privacy violation'.
Other instances include Elon Musk's Grok chatbot exposing home addresses of non-public figures, and Meta's WhatsApp AI assistant mistakenly sharing private numbers. Privacy experts warn that generative AI amplifies existing problems with online data collection, as large language models (LLMs) pull from outdated records, forum posts, and scraped databases, potentially surfacing incorrect or private information.
ClearNym, a data removal service, stated that Gemini's issue is not a defect but the result of years of unchecked data brokerage. Organisations have discreetly harvested personal details from public databases, sold and traded them, and used them in training sets. These details now return as accurate copies or fabrications, including 'placeholder' phone numbers. ClearNym researchers predict the problem will worsen with newer, more powerful AI models.
The lack of a 'right to be forgotten' for AI means victims have few resources. A Google spokesperson said they have safeguards to prevent personal content from surfacing in Search AI features and tools to request removal. Virgin Media O2 reported that millions of Brits have been served fake customer service numbers via AI, with criminals injecting their own numbers to pose as trusted brands and commit fraud. Scammers 'seed poisoned content' on platforms like Yelp and YouTube, which AI web crawlers then pick up.
