You might have heard of phone calls where a scammer pretends to be someone from your bank, tech support or a government agency. But what happens when you get a scam call that seems like it’s from someone you know?
Emergency scams, sometimes called grandparent scams, take advantage of a person’s concern for their friends and family. In this scam, you get an urgent call, voicemail or text message from someone claiming to be a loved one. They say they need money right away to get out of trouble, and they might provide convincing details.
This longtime scam is being made even more realistic with the help of AI and a technique called “voice cloning.” Scammers need only a few seconds of recorded audio of a person’s voice to replicate it using AI. They can then use this technique to send AI-generated calls, voicemails or voice messages asking for money. The familiar voice makes it hard to tell if the call is really from someone you know.
If you're not sure about a phone call or message, remember it’s okay to stop and double check, even if the person says it’s urgent.
How can I tell if a call is AI-generated?
● Double check the source. If you get an unusual, urgent or emotional voice message, call the person you think it is directly (or have someone else call them) to double check if it was them. Check the caller ID on voicemails, but remember that caller ID can be spoofed.
● Stop and think before you react. If you’re scared or taken off guard, you may be less likely to notice the details of a scam call. Scammers will try to pressure you to act as quickly as possible, so you don’t have time to think. Pause and try to remain calm. Does the message really sound like the person you think it is?
● Have a “safe word” for calls. Pick a unique word for you and your family to use on the phone if you’re in trouble. Keep this word private. If you receive an urgent phone call that seems to be from a family member and they don’t use the word, hang up and call them directly.
● Trust your gut. If you receive a strange call or voicemail, ask a friend or loved one for a second opinion, or check BBB.org for information about common scams.
● Reduce solicitations. Registering all unsolicited phone numbers on the “Do Not Call” registry may help reduce the chance that scammers will call your phone number in the first place. You may wish to change your phone number if you frequently receive spam calls.
● Limit where you post your voice online. Remember that very little audio is needed to imitate a person’s voice with AI. It's easy for scammers to find audio on the internet. You may want to consider limiting where you share audio of your voice publicly or setting your social media profiles to private.
