The phone rings at 7 PM. Your granddaughter's voice, shaky and tearful, tells you she's been in a car accident and desperately needs bail money. Every instinct screams at you to help immediately - but this time, that familiar voice might be completely fake.
Thirteen individuals have been charged in connection with an elaborate scam operation that defrauded more than 400 older Americans out of over $5 million, with the average victim age of 84. This massive case, announced by federal prosecutors in August 2025, represents just the tip of the iceberg in what experts are calling the most emotionally manipulative fraud targeting seniors today.
The traditional 'grandparent scam' - where criminals pose as distressed grandchildren needing urgent financial help - has been devastating enough. But now, artificial intelligence is making these cons virtually undetectable, even to the most cautious among us.
In this Article
When 'Hi Mum' becomes high-tech horror
'Their goal was to trick our parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends into handing over their life savings on false pretenses. And they succeeded.'
People over the age of 65 were the only age group to experience an increase in reported losses. Losses for people over the age of 65 increased by 13.3% in 2023 to $120 million in Australia alone. While overall scam losses dropped nationally, criminals are specifically targeting older Australians with retirement savings and accumulated wealth.
The psychology behind these scams remains devastatingly effective. The grandparent scam is so effective because it exploits people's emotions. They prey upon emotions to pressure victims into sending money as quickly as possible. Combined with new AI technology, these emotional manipulation tactics have reached unprecedented sophistication.
The AI revolution in voice fraud
Artificial intelligence has made the grandparent scam, where fraudsters pretend to be a loved one in trouble, that much trickier. Now, scammers can clone the voice of your family members and use it to get you to open up your wallet.
The technology is alarmingly accessible and effective. A reasonably good clone can be created with under a minute of audio and some are claiming that even a few seconds may be enough. A convincing voice clone can be made with mere seconds of original audio – something scammers can recover from sources such as videos on social media.
Australian Seniors: Prime Targets
People over the age of 65 were disproportionally impacted by investment scams. Many reported significant losses to scams resulting from contact initiated on social media.
Queensland seniors alone lost nearly $35 million in 2023, with some individual losses exceeding $110,000.
The ACCC's National Anti-Scam Centre says it's received fewer than five reports where it suspects scammers have used AI technology to clone voice or video since 2022. However, experts warn this likely represents significant under-reporting as victims may not realise AI was involved.
How the modern grandparent scam works
Call center operators divided roles among themselves, such as 'openers' who made initial contact, 'closers' who impersonated public defenders or lawyers to demand bail payments, and 'runners' who collected and laundered the money.
The basic pattern remains consistent: a distressed-sounding relative claims to need immediate financial help, often for bail money, medical emergencies, or urgent bills. Some victims were allegedly pursued multiple times, with suspects calling back later to say the bail amount had increased and more money was needed. Suspects referred to a victim who provided substantial amounts of money as a 'whale'.
What's changed is the convincing quality of the voices involved. Where once seniors might have detected something 'off' about the caller's voice, AI clones can now replicate speech patterns, accents, and even emotional inflections with startling accuracy.
Your family's secret weapon: the safe word strategy
The most effective protection strategy is surprisingly simple: establish a family safe word or verification question that only genuine family members would know.
You could even decide on a family safe word or safe phrase – something that holds meaning only to close family members. This could be a phrase from a TV show you and your family love, or a line from your favourite book or simply an in-joke.
Cybersecurity experts and law enforcement officials have a simple, but effective, recommendation for avoiding getting victimized by such scams: creating a family 'safe word,' along with a protocol for verifying a family member or loved one's identity. That means choosing a word or phrase that can't be easily guessed.
Scam protection essentials
- Never send money based on a phone call alone, even if the voice sounds familiar
- Establish a family safe word known only to close relatives
- Always verify by calling the person back on their known phone number
- Ask specific questions only the real person would know
- Take time to think - urgency is a red flag
- Trust your instincts if something feels wrong
Spotting the sophisticated con artists
Modern grandparent scams share common warning signs, regardless of whether AI voice cloning is involved:
Emotional manipulation: They say things that trigger a fear-based emotional response because they know when humans get afraid, we get stupid and don't exercise the best judgment.
Urgency and secrecy: Scammers always insist you act immediately and tell no one else. They pretend to be in distress. They may even beg the grandparent not to tell anyone.
Unusual payment methods: Legitimate emergencies don't require gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers to strangers.
Missing personal details: Even with voice cloning, scammers often can't replicate specific family knowledge, inside jokes, or recent conversations.
The hidden cost: emotional devastation
The impact extends far beyond financial loss. Being exploited instilled a sense of shame and self-criticism in the patient. That, in turn brought on a lot of anxiety and distress. Another patient lured into a scam experienced such anger and self-loathing that he had thoughts of suicide.
These are not just numbers – these are real and often vulnerable people with retirement funds, life savings, and legacies intended for family and charities. The psychological trauma can persist long after any financial losses are resolved.
Thirteen arrested in $5 million grandparent scam defrauding elderly across US - BLiTZ
Cited text: Thirteen individuals have been charged in connection with an elaborate scam operation that defrauded more than 400 older Americans out of over $5 mill...
Excerpt: Thirteen individuals have been charged in connection with an elaborate scam operation that defrauded more than 400 older Americans out of over $5 million
https://weeklyblitz.net/2025/08/14/...randparent-scam-defrauding-elderly-across-us/
Scam losses decline, but more work to do as Australians lose $2.7 billion | ACCC
Cited text: Losses to job scams rose by 151.2 per cent to just over $24.3 million.
Excerpt: Thirteen individuals have been charged in connection with an elaborate scam operation that defrauded more than 400 older Americans out of over $5 million
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-relea...ore-work-to-do-as-australians-lose-27-billion
Scam losses decline, but more work to do as Australians lose $2.7 billion | ACCC
Cited text: · “Scammers are financial criminals who use sophisticated technology and psychology to rob Australians of their money and personal information,” Ms Lo...
Excerpt: the average victim age of 84
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-relea...ore-work-to-do-as-australians-lose-27-billion
Scammers hit an all-time low - National Seniors Australia
Cited text: · NSA chief executive officer, Chris Grice, said it is concerning to see Australians aged 65 and older were the largest reporting group and suffered t...
Excerpt: People over the age of 65 were the only age group to experience an increase in reported losses.
https://nationalseniors.com.au/news/latest-news/scammers-hit-an-all-time-low
Seniors warned to be aware of scams - Ministerial Media Statements
Cited text:
Excerpt: The grandparent scam is so effective because it exploits people's emotions. They prey upon emotions to pressure victims into sending money as quickly as possible
https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/100003
AI voice scams: What you need to know | CHOICE
Cited text: AI voice cloning scams are targeting Australians. Find out how to spot and avoid these sophisticated cons.
Excerpt: Artificial intelligence has made the grandparent scam, where fraudsters pretend to be a loved one in trouble, that much trickier.
https://www.choice.com.au/consumers...ta-privacy-and-safety/articles/ai-voice-scams
AI voice scams are on the rise. Here's how to protect yourself. - CBS News
Cited text: Velasquez gave the example of a phony grandchild calling a grandparent and saying something like, 'I am in jail and need help, and I am so distraught ...
Excerpt: A reasonably good clone can be created with under a minute of audio and some are claiming that even a few seconds may be enough
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elder-scams-family-safe-word/
AI scam calls: This mom believes fake kidnappers cloned her daughter’s voice | CNN
Cited text:
Excerpt: A convincing voice clone can be made with mere seconds of original audio – something scammers can recover from sources such as videos on social media
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/29/us/ai-scam-calls-kidnapping-cec/index.html
Scammers hit an all-time low - National Seniors Australia
Cited text:
Excerpt: People over the age of 65 were disproportionally impacted by investment scams. Many reported significant losses to scams resulting from contact initiated on social media
https://nationalseniors.com.au/news/latest-news/scammers-hit-an-all-time-low
Scam losses decline, but more work to do as Australians lose $2.7 billion | ACCC
Cited text: Submit an online enquiry to ask a question or you can make a report to help us understand where there are problems.
Excerpt: Call center operators divided roles among themselves, such as 'openers' who made initial contact, 'closers' who impersonated public defenders or lawyers to demand bail payments, and 'runners' who collected and laundered the money
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-relea...ore-work-to-do-as-australians-lose-27-billion
Canadians' 'grandparent scam' cost Americans $21 million
Cited text: Some victims were allegedly pursued multiple times, with suspects calling back later to say the bail amount had increased and more money was needed.
Excerpt: Some victims were allegedly pursued multiple times, with suspects calling back later to say the bail amount had increased and more money was needed
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/05/nx-s1-5318821/grandparent-scam-canadians-arrested-vermont
Canadians' 'grandparent scam' cost Americans $21 million
Cited text: Suspects referred to a victim who provided substantial amounts of money as a 'whale,' the indictment says.
Excerpt: Suspects referred to a victim who provided substantial amounts of money as a 'whale'
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/05/nx-s1-5318821/grandparent-scam-canadians-arrested-vermont
AI voice-cloning scams could target millions of people, Starling Bank warns | CNN Business
Cited text:
Excerpt: Cybersecurity experts and law enforcement officials have a simple, but effective, recommendation for avoiding getting victimized by such scams: creating a family 'safe word,' along with a protocol for verifying a family member or loved…
https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/18/tech/ai-voice-cloning-scam-warning/index.html
Scams are affecting senior Australians more than any other age group | CHOICE
Cited text: As if getting older didn't present enough challenges, Australia's senior citizens are now also more likely to have their lives upended by scammers.
Excerpt: These are not just numbers – these are real and often vulnerable people with retirement funds, life savings, and legacies intended for family and charities
https://www.choice.com.au/health-an...t/articles/scams-affecting-senior-australians
Australian Financial Scam Statistics 2024 - Jacaranda Finance
Cited text: Victoria is a close second, with just under $28 million lost already. Older people are particularly vulnerable to scammers, with the ACCC finding that...
Excerpt: NASC said in 2024 it referred more than 8,000 URLs for takedown, including 6,000 to the NASC takedown service.
https://www.jacarandafinance.com.au/general/financial-scam-statistics/
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