The article discusses a sophisticated scam where fraudsters impersonate a grandchild's voice to extort money from seniors. An Ontario woman, Marilyn, received a call allegedly from her grandson, Ian, claiming he needed money due to legal troubles. This convincing voice led her to attempt to send $9,000 to help him, illustrating the emotional manipulation involved. Reports indicate that Canadians lost nearly $3 million in 2024 to similar scams, with experts pointing to the role of deepfake technology in these schemes, highlighting growing concerns around the use of AI in fraudulent activities.
"I was anxious to get the money out; I'd do anything for my grandchildren," she said of the conversation from 2021.
The caller claims to be the victim's grandchild and is in the middle of a crisis, usually saying that a crime has been committed and they need money.
In the U.S., the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network warned that highly realistic deepfakes can manufacture what appear to be real events.
Canadians reported losing nearly $3 million to this scam in 2024, according to figures from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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