Security

AI Voice Scam Calls: Red Flags and What to Do Next

Being Tricky

The short answer

An AI voice scam is a call where a criminal uses a cloned copy of a loved one's voice to fake an emergency and rush you into paying.

At a glance

About 20 minutes · Medium · For Security

Key point 1 of 5

The scam is an old one with a new tool.

Key point 2 of 5

You don't need to be able to hear that a voice is fake.

Key point 3 of 5

The safest response is the same whatever the story is: slow it down and check it through a channel the caller doesn't control.

Key point 4 of 5

The FBI and the FTC both recommend a secret word or phrase that your family agrees on in advance.

Key point 5 of 5

You can't make your voice impossible to copy, but you can make yourself a harder target and make the scam less convincing.

Quick tip

Scammers rely on you feeling that hanging up would be cruel. Decide now, while you're calm, that you will always hang up and call back.

You might ask

Can AI really copy a voice from a short clip? Yes.

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AI Voice Scam Calls: Red Flags and What to Do Next

Being Tricky