I've been waving the red flag about voice scams for what feels like eons now. But thanks to the explosion of affordable AI tools, voice cloning isn't just for James Bond villains anymore. It's gone mainstream, and bad guys are cashing in.
The CEO calls
A U.K.-based energy firm's CEO thought he was on the phone with his boss, the chief executive of the German parent company. The “boss” instructed him to send €220,000 (nearly $233,000 USD) to a Hungarian supplier.
The voice was so convincing, down to the slight German accent and rhythm of speech, that the CEO complied without hesitation. This “boss” was a cleverly designed AI voice. By the time they realized, the money had been transferred to Mexico and distributed to other locations. Ouch!
‘Grandma, please help me!’
A woman received a call from her “grandson” claiming he'd been in an accident and was in jail. The voice, the hesitations, the familiar terms of endearment … it was all eerily accurate. Grandma sensed something amiss when “he” was a bit too pushy about needing money, and she didn't fall for it.
Olivia shared this story on my show a few months ago …
“My mom was getting ready this morning, listening to YouTube, when all of a sudden, her phone impersonated me like I had called her. It pretended to be me hysterically crying and yelling that Will (my husband) was dead — and it was MY voice.” How would you have responded? So scary!
That voice you hear?
In the age of TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn and YouTube, where we broadcast our lives (and voices) to the world, scammers are having a field day.
They're extracting voice samples, feeding them into their sinister AI machines and producing chillingly accurate voice clones. With that, the stage is set for a scam as emotionally brutal as it is ingenious.
What to do if you get a call like this
Now, before you consider selling the family silver, let's talk strategy:
- Check the caller ID: If the call's from a number you don't recognize (or, worse, a blocked or hidden number), that's a big red flag. Even if it sounds like your kiddo or mom on the other line, hang up and call them on their cellphone.
- Verify with video: Ask the “kidnapper” if you can video chat with your “captured” child. Scammers might be good, but they won't have a real-time video feed of your kid.
- Buy some time: If the voice claims they're in a jam — say, an accident or they've been detained — tell them you'll help but want to check things out first. Immediately try to reach that person through other means or contact someone who might know their whereabouts.
- Money talks: Let's be real here. If someone's demanding a wire transfer or Bitcoin payment, your scam alert should be blaring. Authentic emergencies don't come with specific, shady payment demands.
It costs about $4 to clone a voice. That's it! Arm yourself with these tips, and don't let scammers catch you off guard. Stay savvy, and use the icons below to share this important security alert with family and friends.
