Voice Cloning and Deepfake Scams: How to Protect Your Family

Scammers can use AI to imitate a relative’s voice or create convincing fake video and ask for urgent help.

How it works

Criminals take audio from social media or voicemails, create a cloned voice and call with a story about an accident, arrest or kidnapping.

Protect yourself

• Agree a family code word for emergencies.
• Hang up and call the person back on their known number.
• Be sceptical of urgent requests for money, especially by gift card or crypto.
• Limit public audio and video where you can.

Spotting deepfakes

Look for odd blinking, mismatched lip movement, strange lighting and unnatural pauses, although quality is improving.