Verdict: True
Can scammers clone a relative's voice to ask you for money?
The claim: A friend warned our group that scammers now use AI to copy the voice of someone you know, then call or send a voice note asking for money urgently.
What we found
- In March 2023, the US Federal Trade Commission warned that scammers are using AI voice cloning in "family emergency" scams.
- According to the FTC, a scammer only needs a short clip of a person's voice, which can come from videos posted online, and a voice-cloning program.
- These calls are built to create panic: an accident, an arrest, a lost phone, and a request to send money right away by transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Verdict
True. Voice cloning is real, cheap and already used in scams.
How to protect your family
- Don't trust the voice alone. Hang up and call the person back on the number you already have.
- Agree on a family code word for real emergencies.
- Be suspicious of any urgent request for money, especially by transfer or gift cards.
- Think about how much of your voice is public: long videos on open profiles make cloning easier.
Source: consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/03/scammers-use-ai-enhance-their-family-emergency-schemes
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