Most people believe they can instantly recognize the voice of a spouse, child, friend, coworker or boss.
Unfortunately, criminals are counting on that trust.
Advances in artificial intelligence now allow scammers to create convincing audio recordings that imitate another person’s voice. Using short audio clips obtained from social media, voicemail recordings or online videos, criminals can generate calls that sound remarkably real.
These scams often begin with an unexpected phone call. The caller may claim that a loved one has been injured, arrested, stranded while traveling or is in immediate need of financial assistance. In other cases, scammers impersonate coworkers, supervisors or business executives with urgent requests.
The goal is simple: Create a sense of panic before you have time to think.
How the scam works
You receive a call or voice message that appears to come from someone you trust. The caller describes an urgent situation and pressures you to act immediately. You may also be asked to keep the request confidential, discouraging you from contacting anyone who could expose the scam.
In personal scams, criminals often request money through wire transfers, gift cards or cryptocurrency. In workplace settings, they may seek confidential information, passwords, authentication codes or access to accounts and computer systems.
The voice may sound familiar, but familiar doesn’t always mean authentic.
The FBI has warned that criminals are using AI-generated audio to make impersonation attempts more believable. These scams may be designed to obtain money, sensitive information, login credentials or access to personal and business accounts.
Warning signs to
watch for
Be cautious whenever a caller:
• Creates a sense of urgency and pressures you to act immediately.
• Requests money through wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency or other unusual payment methods.
• Uses an emotional story designed to cause fear or panic.
• Asks you to keep the request secret.
• Requests passwords, account information or authentication codes.
• Encourages you to bypass normal procedures or verification steps.
The Federal Trade Commission warns that urgent requests involving wire transfers, cryptocurrency or gift cards may indicate a family emergency scam. These payment methods can make recovering stolen funds difficult.
Even if the voice sounds genuine, these warning signs should prompt you to slow down and verify the request.
Pause, verify, report
A simple three-step approach can help prevent you from becoming a victim.
Pause. Stay calm and don’t allow urgency or emotion to drive your response. Do not send money, provide sensitive information, share an authentication code or approve an unexpected request.
Verify. End the call and contact the person directly using a phone number or communication method you already know is legitimate. Do not use a phone number, link or contact information supplied by the caller.
The FTC recommends calling the person directly using a known phone number. If you cannot reach the person, contact another family member or friend to verify the situation.
Report. If you believe you’ve encountered a scam, report it to the appropriate authorities. Prompt reporting may help prevent others from becoming victims.
• Report suspected fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• Report suspected internet crimes to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
Protect yourself before a call happens
Preparation can make these scams less effective.
Consider establishing a family “safe word” or phrase to help verify identities during emergencies. Review privacy settings on social media accounts and think carefully about how much audio and video content you share publicly.
Families should also discuss in advance how they will verify emergency requests involving money or personal information.
Having a plan before an emergency occurs can help everyone respond calmly and confidently when an unexpected call arrives.
Some community members face greater risk
While anyone can be targeted by an AI voice scam, criminals may focus on people they believe are more likely to respond emotionally to an urgent request.
Parents and grandparents are common targets of family emergency scams. A caller may pretend to be a child or grandchild in distress, claiming to need money immediately. A realistic-sounding voice can make the situation seem genuine, prompting someone to act before verifying the story.
Older adults may be targeted by scammers who exploit trust, urgency and fear. Family members can help by discussing common scam tactics and establishing a plan for verifying emergency requests.
Children and teenagers should also understand that not everything they hear online or over the phone is authentic.
As AI-generated audio becomes more common, young people need to learn the same lesson adults are learning: Hearing a familiar voice is no longer enough to confirm someone’s identity.
A simple family conversation about scams, verification methods and emergency contacts can go a long way toward protecting loved ones of all ages.
Remember: A familiar voice is not proof of identity.
When an unexpected request involves urgency, secrecy, money, sensitive information or a change to normal procedures, take a moment to stop, think and verify before acting.
That brief pause could prevent a costly mistake.
Pause. Verify. Report.
About the author
Madi Trypus is an information security professional specializing in cybersecurity governance, risk management, third-party risk oversight and security awareness. Her work focuses on making complex security topics understandable and actionable for everyday audiences.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in security and risk analysis from Penn State University and has several years of experience helping organizations identify, assess and manage cybersecurity risks.
