Voice AI is being used in scams in a number of ways, including:
- To create realistic-sounding impersonations. With just a few seconds of audio, scammers can use AI to create a voice that sounds almost identical to a real person. This can be used to trick victims into thinking they are talking to a trusted friend or family member, or to a legitimate business representative.
- To generate synthetic speech. AI can be used to generate synthetic speech that sounds like a real person speaking. This can be used to create fake audio recordings, or to create chatbots that can interact with people in a natural way.
- To identify and target victims. AI can be used to analyze voice recordings to identify people who are more likely to be susceptible to scams. This information can then be used to target these people with more specific scams.
Some of the most common scams that use voice AI include:
- Impersonation scams. In these scams, the scammer calls the victim and impersonates a trusted friend, family member, or business representative. The scammer then uses the voice AI to convince the victim to send money or provide personal information.
- Tech support scams. In these scams, the scammer calls the victim and claims to be from a tech company. The scammer then uses the voice AI to convince the victim that their computer has a problem and that they need to pay for tech support.
It is important to be aware of the risks of voice AI scams and to take steps to protect yourself. Some tips for protecting yourself from voice AI scams include:
- Never give out personal information over the phone, even if the caller claims to be from a trusted source.
- Hang up and call the person you think they may be impersonating using the number in your contact list.
If you think you may have been the victim of a voice AI scam, you should contact your bank or credit card company immediately. You should also report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.
