AI voice-clone emergency calls
Sample content for development. This profile will be reviewed by DTI before launch.
How it works
Scammers can use a short clip of someone's voice, often taken from social media videos, to generate convincing speech. They call a relative, claim there has been an accident, arrest or emergency, and push for an urgent payment before anyone has time to check.
What it can look like
Incoming call
Unknown
+1 (555) 014-2290
"Grandma, it's me. I've been in an accident and I'm at the police station. Please don't tell Mom. The lawyer says I need bail money today, can you get gift cards?"
Illustration. Names and numbers are fictional.
Warning signs
- An emergency that needs money immediately
- You are asked to keep it secret from other family members
- Payment by gift card, crypto, wire transfer or a courier collecting cash
- The caller avoids questions only the real person could answer
- The call comes from an unknown or hidden number
Common tactics
- Cloned voice built from public videos
- A second 'official' (lawyer, police officer, doctor) takes over the call
- Background noise to make the call feel chaotic and real
What to do
- Hang up and call the person back on the number you already have for them
- Agree on a family safe word that a caller must know
- Never pay by gift card, crypto or courier because someone on the phone told you to
- If you already paid, contact your bank or payment provider immediately
Reporting
Report the message or account to the platform it came through, then report to your country's official fraud reporting service. If money or banking details are involved, contact your bank or payment provider first.