How it works
The voice
Scammers copy a voice from videos or voice messages posted online.
The call
“It’s me. I’ve had an accident. Please don’t tell anyone.” Sometimes a fake lawyer or police officer takes over.
The rush
Pay now, by transfer, gift cards or cash handed to a courier.
How AI makes it worse
Cloned voices of loved ones are used in “distress” calls. Older Americans reported more than $5 million lost to these calls in 2025.1
What the evidence says
- Scammers use fear, hope and love to make you act before you think.2
Warning signs
- Extreme urgency.
- “Don’t tell anyone.”
- Unusual payment: gift cards, crypto, a courier collecting cash.
Protect yourself
- Agree a family code word today. Ask for it in any emergency call.
- Hang up. Call the person back on the number you already have.
- Ask a question only they could answer.
See a demonstration
Demonstration coming soon
Real voice or cloned voice?
Listen to pairs of recordings made with consent.
Advice on this page follows official guidance from the sources below.