AI scams: voice clones, deepfakes, and the family safe word

AI scams are old scams with better disguises. Criminals use AI to copy a voice from a short clip, write smooth messages, or fake a face on a video call. Then they push you to send money fast. You do not have to spot the fake. Three habits help against all of these scams. Hang up and call back on a number you already know. Agree on a family safe word. And never send money by gift card, wire or crypto because of a call or message.

What the numbers say

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) took 1,008,597 complaints in 2025, with $20.877 billion in reported losses. Of those, 22,364 complaints mentioned AI, and their adjusted losses were over $893 million. IC3 notes that many victims do not realize the extent AI may be involved. For example, investment complaints that mention AI had $632 million in losses, while all investment complaints had over $8 billion.

The FTC counts fraud reports too. It said on March 25, 2026 that it received 3 million fraud reports in 2025, with $15.9 billion in losses. Imposter scams were the most reported kind, with more than 1 million reports and more than $3.5 billion in losses.

These are reports, not a count of every case.

How the main AI scams work

1. The voice-clone “family emergency” call

A deepfake is a video, image or audio clip made or changed by AI to look or sound like a real person. A voice clone is a deepfake of someone’s voice. The FTC says a scammer needs only “a short audio clip” of a family member’s voice, which could come from content posted online, plus voice-cloning software. The fake can then sound “just like your loved one.”

The call usually says a relative is in trouble and needs money now. The FTC says the caller may pose as a lawyer, police officer or doctor, and may ask you to keep the call secret. Payment requests are a red flag: wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps and gift cards.

IC3 reports that these “distress” scams, also called grandparent scams, cost victims over $5 million in 2025. It says the scam is evolving to mimic other family members and close friends in different emergencies.

A related scam is the “virtual kidnapping.” On December 5, 2025, the FBI warned that criminals alter photos from social media and send them as fake proof that a loved one was kidnapped. The FBI says the photos often show errors, such as missing tattoos or scars, when compared with real photos.

2. The deepfake video call

In a case that police in Hong Kong described in February 2024, a finance employee at a multinational company joined a video call. According to AFP, police said everyone on the call except the employee was an impersonation of senior staff. The employee then made 15 transfers worth about HK$200 million, or US$26 million. Police said the deepfake videos were pre-recorded, and that the scammers found public video and audio of the people they impersonated on YouTube. The company was not named, and no arrest had been made at the time.

The FBI says criminals use fake videos in real-time video chats with supposed executives, law enforcement or other authority figures. On September 17, 2026, it added that scammers use AI to appear as officials on video calls. Between January 2025 and July 2026, IC3 received nearly 61,000 complaints of law enforcement or government impersonation scams, with losses over $1.6 billion. The FBI does not say how many involved AI.

3. AI-polished messages and fake profiles

The FBI says AI tools “can correct for human errors that might otherwise serve as warning signs of fraud.” Criminals use AI text to run romance, investment and other scams. They also use it to create many fake social media profiles, to translate messages with fewer mistakes, and to put chatbots on fake websites that push people toward bad links. So a message with perfect spelling is no longer a sign that it is real.

4. Fake celebrities and fake “recovery” help

IC3 says investment scams use AI-generated videos and voices of celebrities, CEOs and other trusted figures, with fake endorsements on social media or in video calls. And on July 20, 2026, the FBI warned that scammers impersonate the IC3 itself, sometimes with deepfake videos of a senior FBI leader. They contact people who already lost money and offer to recover it. IC3 “will never ask for payment to recover lost funds.”

Does the law help?

On February 8, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission ruled that calls made with AI-generated voices are “artificial” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The ruling took effect at once. It makes voice cloning in robocall scams illegal and gives state attorneys general new tools. Rules like this help prosecutors. They do not replace your own checks.

Six habits that work against any of these scams

1. Agree on a family safe word. The FBI says to create a secret word or phrase with your family to verify identity. Choose something only your family knows. Do not post it or text it. Tell each person in person or by phone.
2. Hang up and call back. The FTC says to call the person who supposedly contacted you, on a number you know is theirs. The FBI says the same about banks and other organizations: hang up, look up the real contact details yourself, and call that number.
3. Try someone else. If you cannot reach the person, the FTC says to contact another family member or their friends. Do this even if the caller asked you to keep it secret.
4. Ask a question only the real person would know. The FTC suggests this. A safe word is a ready-made version of this idea.
5. Slow down. The FTC says to “resist the pressure to react and send money immediately.” The FBI says officials never demand payment by phone or text. They never ask for prepaid cards, cryptocurrency or couriers. The FBI also says not to send money, gift cards or crypto to people you know only online or by phone.
6. Limit your voice and face online. The FBI says that, if possible, you should limit online content of your image or voice, make social media accounts private, and limit followers to people you know.

Can you spot a fake?

Sometimes, but do not rely on it. The FBI lists signs in images and video: distorted hands or feet, unrealistic faces or accessories, inaccurate shadows, watermarks, lag, voice that does not match, and unnatural movements. For voices, it says to listen to tone and word choice. But it also says AI voice cloning “can sound nearly identical.” It adds that AI content “has advanced to the point that it is often difficult to identify.” IC3’s 2025 report says synthetic content is getting harder to detect and easier to make. A call-back works even when the fake is perfect.

If you already paid or shared information

Act fast, and do not blame yourself. Scammers are skilled, and reporting helps others. The FTC’s steps depend on how you paid:

• Bank transfer or Zelle: tell your bank or credit union right away and ask them to reverse it.
• Payment app: tell the app and ask for a reversal.
• Wire transfer: tell the wire company and ask for a refund.
• Credit or debit card: tell the card company or bank right away.
• Gift card: call the card company, say a scammer got the card number and PIN, and keep the card and receipt.
• Cryptocurrency: contact the exchange or ATM operator, then report to the FTC. The FTC says crypto payments do not have the same legal protections as cards.

Then report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and at ic3.gov. IC3 asks for the scammer’s contact details, the date, type and amount of payment, and how contact began. If you are 60 or older and need help filing, the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Hotline is 1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).

If you gave a Social Security number or other personal details, read How to freeze your credit. If you gave a password, see Am I hacked?

What can go wrong

• Caller ID can be faked. The FBI lists caller ID spoofing among the tricks scammers use.
• Calling back a number the caller gave you is not a check. The FBI says to use official, public contact details, not those the contact provided.
• A safe word you forget, or share by text, will not help. Practice it once, and keep it private.
• Be wary of anyone who says they can recover your lost money. In the scheme the FBI described in July 2026, the recovery claim was a ruse to revictimize people.

What to do now

1. Choose a family safe word today. Tell each family member in person or by phone.
2. Save close family members’ real numbers in your phone, so you can call back.
3. Make your social media accounts private, and limit public videos of your voice.
4. Set a rule: no money by gift card, wire, crypto or payment app because of a call or text. Hang up and call back first.
5. Know where to report: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.