AI phone scam creates voice replicas of “kidnapped” loved ones to demand ransom

By Molly McCrea

The Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case and the demand for bitcoin ransom have highlighted the prevalence of cybercrimes.
Globally cybercrimes costs are expected to exceed $10.5 trillion dollars every year. But the costs are more than financial. The scams are taking a far darker turn thanks to A.I. 

It happened to CBS News Bay Area anchor Juliette Goodrich, who wants viewers to take precautions.

Goodrich was driving to work when she got a phone call.

“I noticed my daughter was calling me,” Goodrich said. “I saw her picture and her phone number up here and her nickname on our calling addresses, and I just pushed the phone, and I said, ‘Hi honey!'”

What happened next was terrifying. First, she heard her daughter’s voice.

“Then it sounded like they grabbed her phone and they said, ‘I have your daughter,’ and went into this whole diatribe about how she won’t get hurt, but he needs money – $2,500, and it sounded so believable,” Goodrich said.

Someone was using her daughter’s phone number to trick Goodrich. Phone spoofing has been around for decades. But hearing her daughter’s voice surprised and shocked her. Her daughter’s voice was likely cloned with an AI tool that creates convincing voice replicas and easily masks identities. These AI scams are relatively new and becoming increasingly prevalent, experts say.

“It’s very common, and it’s actually becoming more common, especially with the advances in AI and the things that they’re doing with AI,” said retired FBI agent Jeff Harp. “I’ve seen it a number of times.”

Harp says a crook doesn’t have to be a cyber mastermind armed with expensive gear. The clear weapon of choice is any of the inexpensive apps that clone voices or mask identities.

“It’s certainly going to get more sophisticated, and it’s as simple as, there’s apps you can download on your phone,” explained Harp.

AI is a tool that is making it much easier for those with malicious intent to commit fraud and scams. And the public needs to be aware of the advances and take action, especially if your phone has been infiltrated.

“Changing the phone number is one thing that can be done because the number has been compromised,” said Matthieu Chan Tsin, senior vice president and GM of Pleasanton-based Cowbell Resiliency Services. 

One of the company’s services is to educate clients about cybersecurity and ways to reduce the risk.

“The most important thing is to reset all passwords,” advised Chan Tsin. “All access. We’re talking social media, banking, utilities, finance.”

While on the phone and talking to the man about money, Goodrich coincidentally got a text from her daughter.

“She was explaining how she had just gotten scammed about a warrant and jury duty,” Goodrich said. “And that’s when I went, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and I texted her, ‘Are you ok?’ And she said, ‘I am fine,’ and that’s when I hung up the phone.”

There are other steps you can take to reduce your risk:

• Have a secret family code word to authenticate identities.
• Consider using location services to know where loved ones are.
• Don’t have personal voice mail recordings.
• Don’t post your voice on social media unless really necessary and then use privacy settings.

“All that is needed now for an actor to replicate somebody’s voice is 3 to 15 seconds,” cautioned Chan Tsin.

In addition, Chan Tsin recommends removing all financial apps from your phone unless you have multi-factor authentication, such as text message, eye scan or fingerprint scan.

And remember, scammers are banking on a parent’s fear, and they will try to rush you into making a decision and sending money. It may be very difficult, but stay calm and keep your wits about you.

“They cater to your emotions, especially if it’s your child. I didn’t think twice,” said Juliette.