How phone scammers are using AI to imitate voices

Summary

The report explores the rise of sophisticated phone scams powered by artificial intelligence, particularly voice-cloning technology. Scammers now recreate the voices of loved ones to convincingly simulate emergencies and extort money, as illustrated by multiple victims who believed their children were in danger. The segment shows how easily voices can be cloned from online audio and how even journalists’ family members can be deceived. With Americans losing nearly $9 billion to fraud last year, the story highlights the growing risk—especially for older adults—and offers practical advice, including creating family safe words, limiting social media exposure, and verifying emergencies by calling back directly.

Takeaways

• 😀 AI is being used to create highly sophisticated and convincing phone scams.
• 😀 Scammers are cloning voices using AI to trick victims into believing their loved ones are in danger.
• 😀 Jennifer de Stefano received a distressing call from a scammer posing as her daughter, demanding money.
• 😀 AI software can replicate voices with high accuracy, making these scams more believable.
• 😀 The scammer initially asked for a million dollars but settled for $50,000 after Jennifer refused.
• 😀 Scammers use AI to exploit emotional reactions, convincing victims to transfer large sums of money.
• 😀 In 2022, Americans lost nearly $9 billion to fraud, with a 150% increase in fraud losses in just two years.
• 😀 Younger people are more likely to experience fraud, though older adults often suffer greater financial losses.
• 😀 Pete Nicoletti, a cybersecurity expert, demonstrated how easily voices can be cloned using AI technology.
• 😀 Voice cloning can create realistic fake calls, making it nearly impossible to trust voice or video communications.
• 😀 To protect yourself, create a family-specific safe word, keep social media accounts private, and verify suspicious calls by calling back directly.

Q & A

What makes phone scams more dangerous today compared to the past?

Phone scams have become more sophisticated due to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to clone voices, making them more believable and harder to detect.

How are scammers using AI in phone scams?

Scammers are using AI to clone the voices of victims' loved ones, often making calls that sound distressing and convincing, which manipulates the victim into handing over money.

What was Jennifer de Stefano's experience with a phone scam?

Jennifer de Stefano received a frantic call from a person who sounded like her daughter, Brianna, claiming to be in distress. The scammer demanded a large sum of money, but fortunately, she did not pay.

How much money did the scammer initially demand from Jennifer de Stefano?

The scammer initially demanded one million dollars, but later reduced the amount to fifty thousand dollars.

How does AI technology contribute to the success of these scams?

AI allows scammers to recreate the voice of someone close to the victim, making the scam more convincing, as the victim believes the call is from a trusted family member or friend.

What impact does voice cloning have on the authenticity of calls?

Voice cloning technology makes it difficult to trust phone calls, as scammers can now mimic anyone's voice with high accuracy, including loved ones or authorities, leading to increased vulnerability.

What was the real-life test Carter Evans performed on his mother?

Carter Evans tested the AI voice cloning technology by calling his mother using an AI-generated voice of himself, asking her for sensitive personal information, and she fell for the scam.

What is the potential future threat posed by AI-powered phone scams?

In the future, scammers may be able to react instantly to what a victim says, adapting their cloned voice in real-time, making the scam even more dynamic and convincing.

How much money did Americans lose to fraud last year?

Americans lost nearly 9 billion dollars to fraud last year, with a significant increase of 150 percent in just two years.

What steps can people take to protect themselves from AI-driven phone scams?

To protect themselves, people should create a safe word with their family, make their social media accounts private, and verify suspicious calls by hanging up and calling back the person directly.