What are AI voice clone scams and how do you protect yourself?

A scammer uses a brief recording of your family member's voice to create a fake clone, then calls you pretending to be them and asking for money in an emergency. Never send money based on a phone call alone — hang up, call the person back directly, and verify the emergency.

Voice clone scams start small. A scammer gets a short audio clip of your relative — maybe from social media, voicemail, or a video — and feeds it to an AI voice cloning tool. The AI creates a fake voice that sounds just like them. Then the scammer calls you and says something like 'Mom, I'm in jail and need bail money. Don't tell anyone.' Your brain hears a voice you recognize and panics. Before you know it, you've wired thousands of dollars. The defense is simple: hang up, call the person back directly at a number you know, and verify the emergency.