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FRESNO, California – Cody Sarhan, Communications Specialist
There’s a dangerous new wave of scams where hackers are using AI to clone your child’s voice based on videos they’ve gathered on social media. Imagine your phone rings, and it’s your son. His voice is shaky, panicked. He’s been in a car accident and needs bail money — fast. Your heart skips a beat, and without hesitation, you’re ready to swoop in to help; you send him money via Cash App or Venmo. But what if that voice, so familiar and real, isn’t his at all?
Welcome to the chilling reality of AI voice cloning scams, where tech-savvy scammers use artificial intelligence to turn your loved one’s voice into a weapon for deceit.
Learn more: How Xobee can help protect you with our secure VoIP Phone Service
The Rise of AI Voice Cloning in Scams
Scammers have always preyed on our emotions, but now they’re armed with artificial intelligence that can mimic voices with eerie accuracy. By extracting short audio clips from social media or other online sources, fraudsters use AI to create convincing voice clones. This means a scammer needs only a few seconds of someone’s voice to fabricate a distress call that sounds convincingly real.
How the Scam Works
Typically, the scammer contacts the victim, posing as a relative in urgent trouble — perhaps claiming to be arrested or involved in an accident. The cloned voice begs for immediate financial assistance, often insisting on secrecy to prevent “further trouble.” The pressure to act swiftly, combined with the familiar voice, can cloud judgment, leading victims to transfer money without verification.
Real-Life Impact
These scams are alarmingly effective. In one instance, a mother received a call that sounded exactly like her daughter, claiming she had been kidnapped and demanding ransom. The emotional manipulation was profound, exploiting a parent’s deepest fears.
🎥 Video Curiosity of ABC News, Nightline
Protecting Yourself & Your Loved Ones
- Pause and Verify: If you receive an urgent call from a loved one requesting money, take a moment to verify their identity. Ask questions only they would know or call them back on their known number.
- Establish a Family Code Word: Create a secret code word with family members to use in emergencies. This simple step can authenticate the caller’s identity.
- Limit Sharing Personal Audio: Be cautious about posting audio or video clips online, as scammers can use these to create voice clones.
- Stay Informed: Educate yourself and your family about AI-driven scams to remain vigilant against evolving threats.
How Xobee Can Help: Call Encryption
Cybersecurity measures have never been more crucial than they are today. Protecting oneself from these advanced scams requires a multifaceted approach, combining education, vigilance, and the right technological tools. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, for instance, can play a significant role in this battle against scammers.
For small businesses specifically, VoIP offers a cost-effective and flexible communication solution, but it also provides an additional layer of security. With features such as call encryption, authentication, and the ability to trace and block fraudulent calls, VoIP technology can significantly mitigate the risk of falling victim to these AI-powered voice scams.
Contact one of our highly skilled technicians now to learn how you can protect yourself from scammers and spam calls.
Stay vigilant, stay informed, and let Xobee Networks fortify your defenses in this ever-evolving digital landscape.
