AI Voice Cloning, Real Trouble: How Scammers Can Mimic Anyone’s Voice to Steal Your Money
Imagine getting a call that sounded exactly like a friend or family member but it isn’t… it’s a scammer trying to steal your money or your personal information.
Well, there’s a new trick scammers are using to scam people to steal money, personal information, or even damage reputations. Scammers are now using artificial intelligence to clone anyone’s voice. This is called AI voice cloning, and it’s being widely used by scammers and it is very hard to detect.
Here are a couple of news stories to show you just how real the threat of AI voice cloning is…
Gym teacher accused of using AI voice clone to try to get a high school principal fired
A physical education teacher and former athletic director of a Baltimore County high school has been arrested and charged with using an AI voice cloning service to frame the school’s principal.
The Baltimore Banner reports that Baltimore County police believe a recording that circulated on social media in January with purported audio of Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert making racist and antisemitic comments was fake. Experts told The Baltimore Banner and police that the recording, which briefly resulted in Eiswert’s suspension…
Here’s another recent news report that shows how real the threat of scammers using AI voice cloning is.
Sheriff’s Office warns about grandparent scams using voice cloning
TUSCOLA CO., Mich. (WNEM) – The Tuscola County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a recent grandparent scam after a county resident was a targeted by one.
In grandparent scams, a scammer calls pretending to be your grandchild, sounding panicked and saying they’re in deep trouble. The sheriff’s office said one situation a scammer might use is saying they got in a car crash and wound up in jail. The scammer will then ask victims to help by sending them money.
The sheriff’s office said there’s been a new evolution to the grandparent scam called voice cloning.
Scammers can use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to clone the voice of a loved one using a short audio clip of their voice, which can be obtained from media posted online, and a voice cloning program. When the scammer calls you, they sound just like your loved one…
OK, now imagine this: Your phone rings. It’s your bank, and the voice on the other end sounds just like the person you usually talk to. They say there’s a problem with your account and need your personal details – like your password or social security number. But it’s not your banker… it’s a scammer using a fake voice to steal your money!
Here’s how AI voice cloning works: Scammers take a recording of someone’s voice, maybe from a voicemail or social media video. Then, using fancy computer stuff, they can make that voice say ANYTHING. It can sound so real, it’s easy to be fooled.
Why should you care? Scammers can use cloned voices to pretend to be anyone you know or trust. They could sound like your boss, your child, your grandchild, or anyone. They can use voice cloning to trick you into giving them money, and personal information, or damage your reputation.
So, what can you do? Be super careful! If someone calls you and asks for personal information, even if they sound familiar, don’t give it out right away. Hang up and tell them you’ll call them back at a number you know is real, like the one on your bank statement, company website, or friends’ or family members’ numbers you know. The more you know about voice cloning, the harder it will be for scammers to use it.
The good news? Just like with any new tech, smart people are working on ways to catch fake voices. In the meantime, stay alert and trust your gut! If something doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t.
Thanks for keeping us informed, I have a lot of videos of me talking on YouTube and so do many other people on there that make a living with their videos. that has me very worried, I am thinking of closing my account.