Member security: Be aware of Artificial intelligence (AI) voice scams
No one wants to get a panicked phone call from a loved one in trouble. But before you spring into action, take a moment to consider whether it might be a scam.
The rise in artificial intelligence (AI) tools has made it possible to realistically clone someone’s voice in a voicemail, voice text or even a live phone call. This has led to a rise in AI voice scams where criminals call an individual pretending to be a family member in need of money. Many of these scams target grandparents, with callers claiming to be their grandchildren stating they’re in jail and need of money for bail.
“If you get a call in the middle of the night and it sounds exactly like your panicked child or grandchild saying, ‘Help, I was in a car accident, the police found drugs in the car, and I need money to post bail (or for a retainer for a lawyer),’ it’s a scam,” says Haywood Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions' Government Group, a multinational information and analytics company.
How AI voice scams work
While they may seem convincing at first, AI voice scams can be avoided if you know what to look out for. Here’s how the most common scam works:
- A cybercriminal uses an AI app and a short audio sample, often lifted from social media, to create a convincing clone of a family member’s voice.
- The scammer then uses the AI voice clone to leave a voicemail or voice text or uses a live voice changer to connect with the victim via voice call.
- The fraudster claims to be a loved one — usually a child or grandchild — who has been in an accident and needs you to send money right away. In some cases, they even pretend to be a kidnapped child asking for ransom money.
How to avoid getting scammed
If you think you might be the target of an AI voice scam, the first step is to reach out to the person who supposedly contacted you. Call a phone number you know is theirs, or if you’re unable to reach them, try getting in touch with them through another family member or their friends.
Another way to spot an AI voice scam is to take a closer look at the request for money.
“Scammers ask you to pay or send money in ways that make it hard to get your money back,” says the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “If the caller says to wire money, send cryptocurrency, or buy gift cards and give them the card numbers and PINs, those could be signs of a scam.”
What to do if you’ve been scammed
If you suspect you’re the target of an AI voice scam, report it immediately. Reporting individual cases of fraud helps protect our community by enabling the FTC to investigate and bring cases against fraudsters, scammers and bad business practices.
Want to learn more about how to protect yourself against fraud? Visit our Security page to learn more about how to protect your personal information and finances, and check out our member security playlist on YouTube.
