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"My mom has been kidnapped", how Artificial Intelligence is using family members' voices for fraud, not even recognized by experts

2026-06-02 13:06:32Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
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A California mother lost thousands of dollars after receiving a phone call that appeared to be from her daughter in danger. Only later did she realize that the voice she heard was not her daughter's, but a copy created by Artificial Intelligence.

Experts warn that a scam known as "voice cloning" is spreading rapidly around the world. With just a few seconds of voice recording, advanced Artificial Intelligence programs can create a near-perfect copy of anyone's voice.

According to the FBI, Americans lost more than $893 million last year to AI-related scams, including voice cloning, fraudulent AI-generated emails, romance scams, and other new forms of cybercrime.

How does the scam work?

Scammers find a short recording of their future victim. Often just a few seconds of audio posted on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or family videos online are enough.

Then, AI programs create a nearly identical copy of the voice.

The call usually comes in a moment of panic.

A parent hears the voice of their son or daughter screaming:

"Mom, I've been kidnapped!"

OR

"Dad, I've been arrested, I need money right away!"

After this, another person comes on the line claiming to be a police officer, lawyer, or kidnapper and urgently demands money.

The goal is to prevent the victim from having time to think.

"There was no time to reflect. I just thought I had to save my son," said a Philadelphia lawyer who became the target of such a scam last year.

Today it is almost impossible to distinguish

Until a few years ago, artificial voices had strange pauses or sounded mechanical.

But technology has advanced so much that even specialists have difficulty distinguishing whether a voice is real or computer-generated.

Henry Ajder, an expert on media created by Artificial Intelligence, says that most people are no longer able to understand the difference.

"It's unfair to expect the average person to recognize it. I find it difficult myself. Most people can't," he says.

Even the most advanced technologies can change the impostor's voice in real time, creating a fully interactive conversation that sounds completely authentic.

Although the published cases are mainly in the US and Western Europe, experts warn that this technology could be used anywhere.

Today, young people publish videos, voice messages, and live broadcasts on social networks every day, and sufficient materials to create a copy of the voice are now more available than ever.

It only takes a few seconds of a TikTok or Instagram video for a scammer to create a convincing copy of the voice of a son, daughter, spouse, or parent.

How to protect yourself?

Experts advise not to focus on the question of whether the voice is real or not.

The most important thing is to recognize the classic signs of fraud:

Are they asking you for money right away?

Are you being put under time pressure?

Are they asking you not to notify anyone?

Are you being asked to send money in unusual ways?

If you receive such a call, do not act immediately.

Call the person on their regular number. Send a text message. Contact another family member who can confirm their location.

Another simple measure is to create a family passcode, a code that only family members know and that can be used to verify identity in emergency situations.

As expert Henry Ajder puts it:

"It's much better to have your mom, sibling, or friend laugh at you because you thought you were a robot than to end up running to the ATM to send money to a scammer."/cnn


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