Is That Really Your Loved One? How to Spot and Stop AI Voice-Cloning Scams

Imagine getting a phone call from your grandchild, sibling, or best friend. Their voice sounds urgent—maybe scared. They say they’re in trouble and need money fast. It sounds just like them. But is it really?

Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), scammers can now mimic voices with frightening accuracy. They only need a short voice clip—maybe from social media or a voicemail—and they can use AI to sound exactly like someone you know. This kind of scam is becoming more common, and it can be very convincing.

What Is a Voice-Cloning Scam?

This type of scam uses AI to copy a person’s voice. A scammer might call pretending to be your loved one, saying they’ve been in an accident, are stuck overseas, or need bail money. The goal? To trick you into sending money quickly, often through wire transfers, gift cards, or other hard-to-trace methods.

How to Spot the Scam

Even if the voice sounds familiar, here are some red flags:

• The caller asks for money urgently.
• They don’t want you to hang up or call anyone else.
• They ask you to send money in unusual ways (gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers).
• The situation appears to be designed to panic you.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

Create a family passcode.
Choose a simple word or phrase that only your close family or friends know. It could be something like “lemonade stand” or “grandpa’s canoe.” If anyone calls claiming to be in trouble, ask them for the passcode. If they can’t give it, hang up.

Other tips:

• Don’t act on emotion. Pause and take a breath. Scammers want you to rush.
• Hang up and call the person directly using a number you know.
• Be cautious about what you share online. The more public your social media, the easier it is for scammers to get voice clips.

Final Thought

It might feel strange to set up a passcode with your family, but it could save you from heartache and financial loss. A quick conversation today can stop a scam tomorrow.