Summary
A new type of AI-based scam involves creating a copy of someone’s voice using artificial intelligence software, and then calling a family member to pretend that the person has been abducted.
The caller requests a ransom and plays the convincing fake audio of the family member.
Last year, at the FBI Pittsburgh office last year, in one week, there were 450 of these spoofing calls. [Source]
More about this is described in the news report below.
News Nation (15 Apr 2023)
“‘Keep them on the phone, keep it on speaker’: Expert on AI phone scam scare” — Former FBI special agent Tracy Walder joined “NewsNation Prime” to discuss how to protect yourself from AI phone scams after an Arizona mother received a fake ransom call that used a simulation of her daughter’s voice. [Source]
GMA (13 Apr 2023)
“Mom warns of AI voice cloning scam that faked kidnapping” — ABC News’ Erielle Reshef shares an urgent warning from an Arizona mom who says she was the victim of a voice cloning hoax. [Source]