Deepfakes & AI Voice Scams
With a few seconds of audio from social media or a voicemail, scammers can clone a voice. They call pretending to be a family member in trouble, or a boss who needs money sent now. Video calls can be faked too. You can’t always tell by listening, so verify another way.
- Everyone
- Office & payroll
Common setups
- “Grandma, I’m in jail, I need bail money, don’t tell Mom”
- A crying child or relative claiming to be kidnapped, with demands for ransom
- The “owner” or “CFO” on a call or video meeting asking for an urgent wire or gift cards
- Celebrity or official videos promoting investments or giveaways
How to protect yourself
- Hang up and call back on a number you already have for that person.
- Set a family safe word that only you know and that isn’t on social media.
- Ask a question only the real person would know.
- Slow down. Pressure, secrecy and unusual payment methods are the tell, not the voice.
- Limit public audio and video of yourself and your kids where you can.
Payment red flags: gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps and cash pickup by a courier. Real family emergencies, bosses and government agencies don’t demand these in secret. See Impersonation Scams.
For businesses
- Require a callback to a known number for every payment or banking change
- Require two people to approve wires above a set amount
- Never let a call or video meeting override payment procedures
- Train staff that voices and faces can be faked
If it happened
Contact your bank right away to try to stop the payment, then report it to the FTC and the FBI’s IC3. See Reporting Cybercrime.
Standards & references
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