Scammers can easily use voice-cloning AI to con family members: expert

Summary

A 75-year-old woman from Regina, Saskatchewan, was targeted in a scam involving AI voice-cloning technology. The scammer used a convincing imitation of her grandson’s voice to trick her into believing he had been in a car accident and needed bail money. The scam unfolded through a series of phone calls, during which the scammer and a fake lawyer pressured her to withdraw and hand over $17,000 in cash. A man later arrived at her home to collect the money. The following day, the scammer returned, claiming the victim’s grandson’s accident had led to a miscarriage and demanding an additional $10,000. After hearing a news report about a similar scam, she contacted her grandson and discovered the deception. A local expert explained that AI voice-cloning tools can now produce highly realistic imitations with only a short audio sample, making such scams more effective. Police have since arrested a suspect linked to multiple similar incidents in the region.