With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
That Panicky Call From A Relative? It Could Be A Thief Using A Voice Clone, FTC Warns
A landline phone.
(
Bet_Noire/Getty Images
/
iStockphoto
)
For years, a common scam has involved getting a call from someone purporting to be an authority figure, like a police officer, urgently asking you to pay money to help get a friend or family member out of trouble.
Now, federal regulators warn, such a call could come from someone who sounds just like that friend or family member — but is actually a scammer using a clone of their voice.
The Federal Trade Commission issued a consumer alert this week urging people to be vigilant for calls using voice clones generated by artificial intelligence, one of the latest techniques used by criminals hoping to swindle people out of money.
"All [the scammer] needs is a short audio clip of your family member's voice — which he could get from content posted online — and a voice-cloning program," the commission warned. "When the scammer calls you, he'll sound just like your loved one."
Sponsored message
If you're not sure it's a friend or relative, hang up and call them
The FTC suggests that if someone who sounds like a friend or relative asks for money — particularly if they want to be paid via a wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a gift card — you should hang up and call the person directly to verify their story.
A spokesperson for the FTC said the agency couldn't provide an estimate of the number of reports of people who've been ripped off by thieves using voice-cloning technology.
But what sounds like a plot from a science fiction story is hardly made-up.
In 2019, scammers impersonating the boss of a U.K.-based energy firm CEO demanded $243,000. A bank manager in Hong Kong was fooled by someone using voice-cloning technology into making hefty transfers in early 2020. And at least eight senior citizens in Canada lost a combined $200,000 earlier this year in an apparent voice-cloning scam.
"Deepfake" videos purporting to show celebrities doing and saying things they haven't are getting more sophisticated, and experts say voice-cloning technology is advancing, too.
Sponsored message
Subbarao Kambhampati, a professor of computer science at Arizona State University, told NPR that the cost of voice cloning is also dropping, making it more accessible to scammers.
"Before, it required a sophisticated operation," Kambhampati said. "Now small-time crooks can use it."
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit npr.org.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
