A calm guide for families
What to know about AI voice cloning
AI voice cloning uses a short recording to make a computer sound like someone you know, so a familiar voice on the phone is no longer proof of who is calling.
The pattern in four moments
How the scam works
- A scammer finds a recording of a person speaking in a video, voicemail, social post, or another shared clip.
- A tool turns that small sample into a voice that can say new words, even if the real person never said them.
- The scammer adds a believable emergency, such as a lost phone, a trip, an arrest, or an urgent bill.
- The request pushes for secrecy, money, a code, or personal information before your family has time to check another way.
Your household response
What to do if you get a strange voice call
Keep the words simple. The goal is to end the pressure and choose the next path yourself.
The callback sentence
“I love you. I am going to pause and call you back.”
Three steps to remember
Slow down, then check.
Pause and end the incoming call.
Say the callback sentence, then do not share money, passwords, codes, or personal information while the caller is still on the line.
Call back through a fresh path.
Use a number you saved earlier, a family group chat you open yourself, or another trusted route—not the incoming number or message.
Bring in a trusted second person.
Tell someone you trust what happened and confirm the request together before you pay, share information, or take another step.