As AI technology continues to advance, scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their methods of deception. One such tactic is voice cloning, which they use to trick people. To protect yourself from falling prey to these scams, you should stay informed about the latest tactics scammers use.
How Voice Cloning Scam Works
Grandparent Scam
Con artists have found a new way to fool people using voice cloning techniques. They use this method to execute the notorious “Grandparent scam.”
Here’s how it works: You receive a call from someone claiming to be your grandchild who is in desperate need of your help in an emergency situation. The imposter sounds exactly like your grandchild and is convincing enough to make you believe their story. They may even know personal details like your grandchild’s school name, travel plans, or nicknames, which makes it all the more plausible. Little did they know that these details are easily obtainable from their grandchild’s social media account.
The scammer ultimately asks you to send them money immediately, which you end up doing out of fear for your grandchild’s safety. Later on, you discover that your grandchild was never in danger and you have been scammed.
College Student Scam
Scammers are now using voice cloning to deceive parents of college students. They impersonate the student’s voice and call the parents, claiming to be their child. The scammer tells the parents their child has been arrested and immediately requires bail money.
To make the scam more convincing, they even send a mugshot of the supposed college student, warning that the child will end up in jail if money isn’t sent ASAP. The scammer then asks the parents to send the bail money through Venmo or Paypal.
Fearing for their child’s safety, the parents hastily send the money, only to realize later that their child is safe and sound at their college.
Reverse Grandparent Scam
Scammers are now using voice cloning techniques to carry out the “Reverse Grandparent scam.” In this scam, the target is the grandchild who receives a call from someone claiming to be their grandparent.
The scammer uses a distressed grandparent voice to convince the grandchild that they require immediate financial assistance. The grandparent narrates a plausible story about their travels and how they got robbed, lost all their money, were stranded, and needed money to buy a plane ticket back home.
Feeling concerned and anxious, the grandchild sends money to the scammer only to realize later that their grandparent is safe and sound.
What to Do If You Get These Calls
If you receive calls from scammers, the first thing to do is stay calm and not act impulsively. Don’t send money right away, especially if the caller is asking for payment through payment networks like Venmo or PayPal. Be wary if they ask you to buy gift cards such as Apple, Amazon, or Microsoft and provide them with the redemption code.
Don’t give them your address if they suggest picking up cash from your home. If they have your address, don’t answer the door and immediately contact the police. If you have already sent money and realized it was a scam, report it to the authorities.
Take your time to verify the caller’s identity and the validity of the story. One way to do this is to ask questions that only your loved one would know to confirm if it’s really them.
Once you hang up, call your loved one’s phone number separately to verify the story. Don’t call the same number on the caller ID since you are just calling the scammer back.
Check your loved one’s social media accounts for any information or pictures that scammers may be using to deceive you.
In short, it’s important to be vigilant and cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers. Don’t let your emotions take over, and always verify the caller’s identity and story before taking any action.
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