When a familiar voice may not be who you think it is
A familiar voice can create an immediate sense of trust. Unfortunately, advances in artificial intelligence are making it easier for fraudsters to imitate the voices of family members, coworkers, executives and other trusted contacts.
Using only a short sample of someone’s real voice, scammers may be able to create convincing audio that sounds like the person is speaking directly to you. That voice can then be used during a phone call or in a recorded message to create a false emergency, request money or obtain sensitive information.
The call may sound convincing. The story may sound believable. The caller may even know personal information about you. That does not mean the request is legitimate.
Why These Scams Can Be Convincing
Voice impersonation scams often rely on more than technology. They also use urgency and emotion to pressure someone into acting quickly.
A caller may claim that a loved one is in trouble, an executive needs an urgent payment made or an account is at risk. The goal is often the same: prevent you from slowing down long enough to verify the request.
Be especially cautious if someone unexpectedly asks you to:
- Send or transfer money immediately
- Share passwords, account information or verification codes
- Bypass a normal approval or security process
- Keep the request confidential
- Avoid contacting another person to confirm the situation
A Familiar Voice Is Not Verification
If a request is unexpected, unusual or involves money or sensitive information, do not rely solely on recognizing the caller’s voice.
Hang up and contact the person using a phone number you already know and trust. For financial requests, independently confirm payment or account instructions before taking action. If the caller pressures you not to verify the request, consider that an additional warning sign.
Families may also want to establish a word, phrase or verification question that can be used during an unexpected emergency. Businesses should continue following established authorization procedures, even when a request appears to come from a familiar person.
Slow Down Before You Act
Fraudsters benefit when urgency overrides caution. Taking an extra moment to independently verify a request can make the difference between recognizing a scam and becoming a victim of one.
As artificial intelligence makes impersonation more convincing, the way we establish trust must evolve with it.
Hear the request. Question the urgency. Verify the person. Then act.
