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  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 20, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , family impersonation scam, , ,   

    AI Is Calling, But It’s Not Who You Think 

    By Greg Collier

    A phone rings with an unfamiliar number while an AI waveform hovers behind, symbolizing how technology cloaks modern impersonation scams.

    Picture this: you get a call, and it’s your boss’s voice asking for a quick favor, a wire transfer to a vendor, or a prepaid card code “for the conference.” It sounds exactly like their tone, pace, and even background noise. But that voice? It’s not real.

    AI-generated voice cloning is fueling a wave of impersonation scams. And as voice, image, and chat synthesis tools become more advanced, the line between real and fake is disappearing.

    What’s Going On?:

    Fraudsters are now combining data from social media with voice samples from YouTube, voicemail greetings, or even podcasts. Using consumer-grade AI tools, they replicate voices with uncanny accuracy.

    They then use these synthetic voices to:

    • Impersonate company leaders or HR representatives.
    • Call family members with “emergencies.”
    • Trick users into authorizing transactions or revealing codes.

    It’s a high-tech twist on old-fashioned deception. Google, PayPal, and cybersecurity experts are warning that deepfake-driven scams will only increase through 2026.​

    Why It’s Effective:

    This scam works because it blends psychological urgency with technological familiarity. When “someone you trust” calls asking for help, most people act before thinking.

    Add to that how AI-generated voices now mimic emotional tone, stress, confidence, and familiarity, and even seasoned professionals fall for it.

    Red Flags:

    • Here’s what to look (and listen) for:
    • A call or voicemail that sounds slightly robotic or “too perfect.”
    • Sudden, urgent money or password requests from known contacts.
    • Unusual grammar or tone in follow-up messages.
    • Inconsistencies between the voice message and typical company protocols.

    Pause before panic. If a voice message feels “off,” verify independently with the real person using a saved contact number, not the one in the message.

    What You Can Do:

    • Verify before you act. Hang up and call back using an official phone number.
    • Establish a “family or team password.” A simple phrase everyone knows can verify real emergencies.
    • Don’t rely on caller ID. Scammers can spoof names and organizations.
    • Educate your circle. The best defense is awareness—share updates about new scam tactics.
    • Secure your data. Limit the amount of voice or video content you share publicly.

    Organizations like Google and the FTC now recommend using passkeys, two-factor verification, and scam-spotting games to build intuition against fake communications.​

    If You’ve Been Targeted:

    • Cut off contact immediately. Do not reply, click, or engage further.
    • Report the incident to your bank, employer, or relevant platform.
    • File a complaint with the FTC or FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
    • Change your passwords and enable multifactor authentication on critical accounts.
    • Freeze your credit through major reporting agencies if personal data was compromised.

    AI is transforming how scammers operate, but awareness and calm action can short-circuit their success. Most scams thrive on confusion and pressure. If you slow down, verify, and stay informed, you take away their greatest weapon.

    Seen or heard something suspicious? Share this post with someone who might be vulnerable or join the conversation: how would you verify a voice you thought you knew?

    Further Reading:

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on January 23, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , family impersonation scam, ,   

    The Grandparent Scam: A Costly Lesson in Trust 

    The Grandparent Scam: A Costly Lesson in Trust

    By Greg Collier

    Nestled in the serene community of Rossmoor in Walnut Creek, California, a gated haven for retired adults, the unthinkable happened. For the second time in just four months, a senior resident fell prey to the cruel scheme known as the ‘grandparent scam’. This deceptive tactic preys on the trust and love that grandparents hold for their family, exploiting their vulnerability in the guise of an urgent family emergency.

    The scam begins with a heart-wrenching phone call. The voice on the other end, remarkably convincing, claims to be a grandchild in dire trouble. The story is always urgent and emotionally charged. An arrest, a car accident, or another dire scenario requiring immediate financial help. This time, it was a tearful tale involving a car accident, an injured pregnant woman, and a desperate need for bail money. The imposter even enlisted an ‘attorney’ to bolster the credibility of the story, weaving a web of urgency and fear.

    One victim, caught in this web, recounted her ordeal. The voice, which mimicked her grandson’s perfectly, left no room for doubt. Following the caller’s instructions, she withdrew $7,500 in cash, wrapped it in decorative paper, and handed it over to a courier who had somehow bypassed the community’s gate security protocols. The incident didn’t end there. Hours later, the scammers called back, requesting an additional $5,000 for supposed damages.

    Banks, often the last line of defense in these scams, raised red flags. Employees asked probing questions and even verified the presence of a companion in the car, but the victim, following the scammer’s explicit instructions, deflected their concerns. Fearful of jeopardizing her grandson’s situation, she fabricated a cover story to explain the large withdrawals.

    The scam unraveled only when a family member intervened, recognizing the fraudulent nature of the calls. The realization was devastating. The victim, like many others before her, was left reeling. Not just from the financial loss, but from the emotional toll of being manipulated through love and fear.

    Such incidents underscore the importance of verification. Law enforcement officials urge caution when receiving urgent calls involving financial demands. A simple call to other family members can verify the authenticity of the claim. Creating a family-specific password for emergencies can also thwart scammers who rely on secrecy and haste.

    The grandparent scam is a poignant reminder of the lengths to which scammers will go to exploit trust. While the financial losses are significant, the emotional betrayal often cuts deeper. By fostering open communication and practicing healthy skepticism, families can protect their loved ones from falling victim to these heartless schemes.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 14, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , family impersonation scam, ,   

    Grandparent scam now spreading to other relatives 

    By Greg Collier

    If you were worried about your grandparents becoming the victim of the grandparent scam, you may now have to worry about your aunts and uncles too. Long-time readers will be well familiar with this scam. It’s when a scammer typically calls an elderly person and poses as one of their grandchildren. The fake grandchild says they’re in some kind of legal trouble and need money for bail or some similar fine or fee. The fake grandchild will then ask the victim not to tell anyone else in the family because of embarrassment, but in reality it’s to keep the victim isolated from their family, so the victim won’t know they’re being scammed. Now, it seems that the scammers have branched out from grandparents and are now contacting other family members as well.

    This recently happened to a woman in Middletown, Connecticut. She received a phone call from someone claiming to be her nephew. As expected, the fake nephew claimed to have been in a car accident and now is in jail. The nephew then said he sounded different because of an injury received in the accident. Scammers will typically claim a broken nose as the cause of the mismatched voice.

    The ‘nephew’ then gave the phone number to his supposed public defender. The woman called the public defender who instructed her that she needed to pay $9500 for her nephew’s bail and that a courier would be by to pick up the money. It wasn’t until after the woman paid the courier before she felt like she was being scammed. She called her family and found out that her nephew was not in jail. The woman called local police and while police were at her home the scammers called back asking for $10,000 more. With the police there, she waited for the courier, who was arrested on the spot. The courier allegedly tried claiming that she was there to pick up money from a friend’s aunt’s house.

    So, let your family know that it’s not just grandparents that have to look out for this scam. It seems now that any older relative can be targeted in this scam.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on November 20, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , airport jail scam, family impersonation scam, ,   

    A new airport scam just in time for the holidays 

    A new airport scam just in time for the holidays

    With many people getting ready to travel for the holidays, even though they should stay home, a new scam has popped up. It’s a type of impersonation scam that takes many of its cues from the grandparent scam. Let’s call it the airport jail scam.

    In this scam, the scammer calls the victim pretending to be a friend or relative. They’ll claim that they’re being detained at the airport for whatever reason and need you to wire them money so they can be released. Sometimes the scammers will have a second person pose as someone in authority like a lawyer or police officer to make the scam sound more convincing and to place extra pressure on the victim. As with most scams, once you wire the money, the scammer disappears and you never see the money again.

    Now, most major airports do have a detention center where people who have been arrested are held. However, unless they’ve been arrested on a federal offense, an arrestee wouldn’t be able to make a phone call until they were transferred to the local police department for processing. We first heard of this scam using Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California as the place where the alleged friend was being held in ‘airport jail. This airport is not a major airport like LAX or Newark International and does not have a detaining area.

    And just like in the grandparent scam, it is recommended that if you receive one of these phone calls that you don’t immediately make arrangements for payment. Instead, you should try to contact the person claiming to be in ‘airport jail’. You can also ask the person a question only they might know that couldn’t be gleaned from social media.

    While you think you may not fall for a scam like this, reports say that some people have already fallen for it. It’s easy to be led down that path when you think a loved one may be in danger. if your friend or relative is being detained, they will not get into any additional trouble if you verify their story.

     

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