Scam watch: AI voice cloning fraud on the rise – Here’s how it works

Scammers are using AI voice cloning technology to impersonate loved ones and solicit money from victims. This scam involves creating convincing voice clones using just a few seconds of audio found on social media.

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Imagine receiving a distressing call one day from a loved one, such as your spouse, child, parents, or even a close friend. They inform you of their emergency and want money to escape the perilous circumstance. Surely you would assist them? The majority would, as it is the logical course of action. What if we informed you, however, that it may be a scam? Indeed, there is a well-known scam in which con artists employ artificial intelligence technology to mimic the voice of a loved one in order to defraud victims of their hard-earned money.

According to many reports, fraudsters have been targeting the elderly by posing as their grandkids and calling them in an attempt to promote this scam throughout the US. Interestingly, this kind of AI deepfake has gotten quite realistic.

How does it work?

You may be wondering how these con artists are able to access your voice. They can locate your voice on social media, to start. Scammers just need around three seconds of your audio to produce a convincing voice clone, according to a 2023 McAfee analysis. Additionally, it states that 53% of individuals contribute their voices online at least once a week.

Voice cloning technology is used by these fraudsters to mimic people's voices, send phony voicemails, or even phone a victim while posing as a loved one. They typically pretend to be in need of assistance immediately and to be in despair.

What is the concerning aspect? The concerning aspect is that these frauds may be conducted using both free and commercial tools, the majority of which simply require rudimentary knowledge and experience. This is the reason this fraud appears to have gained popularity. The problem is that we have witnessed the same fraud occur in India as well, so it's not only in the US.

People are contacted by scammers posing as police officers, informing them that their loved one has been detained in relation to a possible crime. They then force you to speak with the alleged loved one, who is frequently heard sobbing and upset. Scammers reportedly pose as your loved ones by using AI cloning technology.

Out of fear of their loved one being arrested, people often end up sending money to these scammers in an attempt to free them.