How to protect your family from AI voice scams

Meta’s new powerful AI speech tool isn’t being released yet due to what Meta acknowledges are “potential risks of misuse”.

The AI tool, known as ‘Voicebox’, can create a potentially believable chunk of new speech that sounds like whoever was featured in the source clip.

However, Voicebox also looks like a faster and more economical way to create copycat “deepfake” dialogue.

As AI grows in popularity, tools used for scams become easier to access, leading to an increase in cybercrime. 

A security expert from VPNOverview.com says,  

“The US is dealing with a type of scam linked to AI technology called voice cloning, which is widely available online– and mostly free. 

“These tools help fraudsters leave misleading voicemails and can even change their voices on phone calls. Essentially, the aim of the scam is to steal from people by impersonating family members. 

“Worryingly, a recent survey of 7,000 people revealed that 70% said they may not be able to tell the difference between a cloned voice and the real thing.  

“The only thing the scammer needs is a short audio clip of your family member’s voice, which could easily be accessed through content posted online and by using a voice-cloning program, the clip can be used to sound like a real-life call from a loved one. 

“Therefore, as this type of cybercrime is on the rise, it is important for people to be extra vigilant of these circulating scams, and to take the right safety precautions when receiving a call from an unknown number.” 

Below, the security experts from VPNOverview.com shares expert advice for spotting an AI voice cloning scam, and what to do if you do become a victim to one. 

“To determine if a caller is impersonating a loved one, hang up and redial the persons actual phone number. As the phone call will be received from an unknown number, the first way to rule out whether it legit or not is to make direct contact with the caller. 

 “Using social media could be a way of contacting the person to be sure it is them trying to reach out and verify the story. If they don’t have any recollection of calling you, continue to decline any phone calls. 

 “At the moment, unknown numbers are being used to contact victims. It is recommended to avoid answering any phone calls from an unknown number. 

 “With scammers, sometimes all it takes is you picking up the phone and saying a few words for fraud to happen. Even saying “hello and your name” could help scammers grab a voiceprint and use that to authenticate payments with a financial institution or to authorize a transaction. 

“Also, if you do answer an unknown call and the caller or recording asks you to select a button or number to stop receiving the calls, you should just hang up. This is a common trick used to identify potential targets. 

 “To avoid being picked out as a potential victim, try to avoid posting your phone number online or on any social media platform. Also try to suggest family members and friends to do the same. 

 “If you are ever asked for money through channels that are hard to trace such as prepaid cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrencies, be extremely cautious and always verify the recipient’s identity. 

 “As these scams continue to rise, it is recommended to establish a unique ‘safeword’ with loved ones, as this is a great way to distinguish what is a real emergency and what is a scam. 

“If you believe you’ve encountered an AI-generated voice scam, you must report it straight away to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your local law enforcement.”