A Martinez mother received an unknown-number call claiming her adult daughter had been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. The caller used AI and deepfake audio to play recordings that sounded like her daughter crying and pleading for help. The victim stayed on the phone for hours while receiving rapid instructions and warnings not to contact anyone else. She wired about $5,400 from multiple locations and was later told her daughter would be released at a grocery store. When she arrived and found no daughter, she called her daughter directly and learned she had been at work the entire time. Authorities and anti-fraud advocates warn that AI voice cloning is becoming more convincing and widespread, and recommend urgent-money calls be treated as suspicious and verified using a family code word.
"Del Mastro said the scammers kept her on the phone for roughly five hours while issuing rapid instructions and warnings not to speak to anyone else. During that time, she reportedly wired about $5,400 from multiple locations before being told her daughter would be released at a grocery store. When Del Mastro arrived and couldn't find her, she called her daughter directly and learned she had been at work the entire time."
"Authorities and anti-fraud advocates say scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to clone voices using short audio clips pulled from social media, videos, or phone calls. Erin West of Operation Shamrock tells the outlet that the rise in AI voice-cloning scams signals what she calls a growing scamdemic, warning that the technology is becoming more convincing and more widespread."
"She advises people to be wary of urgent situations involving demands for money, particularly when callers pressure victims to act immediately or avoid contacting others. According to ABC 7, West also recommends that families create a private code word to help verify identities during emergencies."
"Following the scam, Del Mastro says her family now shares phone locations and avoids answering calls from unknown numbers. The case is still under investigation, but Del Mastro told the outlet she doesn't expect to see her money again."
Read at sfist.com
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