It's sad that in today's world, scammers are increasingly coming up with new ways to trick innocent people out of their hard-earned money.

The latest disturbing trends involve using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unsuspecting parents and grandparents.

Imagine this scenario: You receive a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like your son or daughter. They're crying and desperately asking for your help, claiming they've been in a car accident and need $5,000 for bail immediately. What would you do?

For one Texas couple, Fred and Kathy, this horrifying situation became a reality. Believing they were genuinely speaking with their son, they quickly acted to help him.

Fred and Kathy thought they were on the phone with their son, but it was actually a scammer using AI voice technology. Credit: Pexels/Ron Lach.

‘I could have sworn I was talking to my son. We had a conversation,’ Kathy recalled.
The couple further recounted how the scammer resorted to extreme measures to persuade them of the gravity of the situation, fabricating a story that the person involved in the accident was a pregnant woman who had miscarried.

In a heart-wrenching twist, Kathy postponed her cancer treatment temporarily in order to collect the money as soon as possible.

However, it was later revealed that the couple had fallen victim to a scam that used AI to clone their son's voice.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns that scammers are increasingly using more sophisticated software to trick their targets.

An ACCC representative said: ‘With the emergence of new technologies, Scamwatch continues to see growing sophistication in scam approaches and is alert to the risks AI presents.’

‘This makes scams harder for the community to identify. The community should continue to approach any requests for personal information or money with caution and exercise caution when clicking on hyperlinks.’

While no reports of this specific AI scam have been made in Australia yet, Scamwatch states there is a real risk to the community.

The group also said that they continue to work with telecommunications and digital platform industry partners to identify methods to detect and disrupt scams.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to clone people's voices and trick unsuspecting parents and grandparents.
• A Texas couple fell victim to this scam, sending $5,000 for a fake emergency after believing they were genuinely speaking with their son.
• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns of the growing sophistication of scams using new technology like AI.
• It's crucial to exercise caution in responding to unsolicited calls or messages and to verify the identity of the person before providing personal information or money.

Being vigilant and sceptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages and suspicious requests for personal information or money is paramount.

When in doubt, disconnect the call and reach out to the individual directly through a reliable phone number.

As challenging as it may be, we must protect ourselves from falling prey to these unscrupulous fraudsters.

With technology continuously evolving, exercising caution and prioritising the security of our finances and loved ones is increasingly crucial.

Stay safe out there, folks! Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be aware of this new scam tactic.

 

[Suzanne rose]

That's a bit scary ! Did they hack into phone conversations and somehow used the voice or was it just because they were crying.

I feel I would recognise my children's voice although one of my daughters did a prank, she called me crying and I thought it was her sister.

I have most of my kids bank details but regardless I would call them back to confirm the conversation

 

[Thecheesequeen]

Oh, this is frightening!

 

[Trudi]

Wouldn't the first question be "Which police station are you at?"

 

[Babbie]

I read the first few lines and thought, what rubbish.

 

[Nana Zorak]

It seems a good time to have a "safe" word so parents know it is their child who they are talking to. I will not suggest anything here just in case we are hacked! But something only family know would be good that could be asked in all innocence.

 

[Nevanan]

It seems a good time to have a "safe" word so parents know it is their child who they are talking to. I will not suggest anything here just in case we are hacked! But something only family know would be good that could be asked in all innocence.

Our family will discuss this over Easter weekend. We all have to agree on what that word or question would be and practice it so it becomes second nature.

 

[peterjamo]

Being pretty tech savvy, it was only last week I was reading all about this type of scam.
For those here saying they would recognise their child's voice it IS your child's voice you hear.
It is cloned by AI after getting a sample (from where I'm not sure, maybe hacking into their phone).
If you ever get a call like this just say 'hang up (name) and I'll immediately call you back on your other number" ! THEN hangup. The scammers then move on to the next poor bugger.

 

[tomtom]

It seems a good time to have a "safe" word so parents know it is their child who they are talking to. I will not suggest anything here just in case we are hacked! But something only family know would be good that could be asked in all innocence.

Excellent idea - I will discuss this with my family - us seniors are now becoming easy targets. Thank you SDC for this report

 

[Jencat]

I would laugh. I am learning that it is possible because I am doing a course in graphic design, like Peter Jamo said I would ring them on there phone. Your going to have to stay there. If it was my children they would know I don't have that amount of money.

 

[Glen44]

It's sad that in today's world, scammers are increasingly coming up with new ways to trick innocent people out of their hard-earned money.

The latest disturbing trends involve using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unsuspecting parents and grandparents.

Imagine this scenario: You receive a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like your son or daughter. They're crying and desperately asking for your help, claiming they've been in a car accident and need $5,000 for bail immediately. What would you do?

For one Texas couple, Fred and Kathy, this horrifying situation became a reality. Believing they were genuinely speaking with their son, they quickly acted to help him.

Fred and Kathy thought they were on the phone with their son, but it was actually a scammer using AI voice technology. Credit: Pexels/Ron Lach.

‘I could have sworn I was talking to my son. We had a conversation,’ Kathy recalled.
The couple further recounted how the scammer resorted to extreme measures to persuade them of the gravity of the situation, fabricating a story that the person involved in the accident was a pregnant woman who had miscarried.

In a heart-wrenching twist, Kathy postponed her cancer treatment temporarily in order to collect the money as soon as possible.

However, it was later revealed that the couple had fallen victim to a scam that used AI to clone their son's voice.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns that scammers are increasingly using more sophisticated software to trick their targets.

An ACCC representative said: ‘With the emergence of new technologies, Scamwatch continues to see growing sophistication in scam approaches and is alert to the risks AI presents.’

‘This makes scams harder for the community to identify. The community should continue to approach any requests for personal information or money with caution and exercise caution when clicking on hyperlinks.’

While no reports of this specific AI scam have been made in Australia yet, Scamwatch states there is a real risk to the community.

The group also said that they continue to work with telecommunications and digital platform industry partners to identify methods to detect and disrupt scams.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to clone people's voices and trick unsuspecting parents and grandparents.
• A Texas couple fell victim to this scam, sending $5,000 for a fake emergency after believing they were genuinely speaking with their son.
• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns of the growing sophistication of scams using new technology like AI.
• It's crucial to exercise caution in responding to unsolicited calls or messages and to verify the identity of the person before providing personal information or money.

Being vigilant and sceptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages and suspicious requests for personal information or money is paramount.

When in doubt, disconnect the call and reach out to the individual directly through a reliable phone number.

As challenging as it may be, we must protect ourselves from falling prey to these unscrupulous fraudsters.

With technology continuously evolving, exercising caution and prioritising the security of our finances and loved ones is increasingly crucial.

Stay safe out there, folks! Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be aware of this new scam tactic.

If you're not sure . HANG UP AND CALL THE PERSON ON THERE PHONE .
.

 

[Jest]

It's sad that in today's world, scammers are increasingly coming up with new ways to trick innocent people out of their hard-earned money.

The latest disturbing trends involve using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unsuspecting parents and grandparents.

Imagine this scenario: You receive a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like your son or daughter. They're crying and desperately asking for your help, claiming they've been in a car accident and need $5,000 for bail immediately. What would you do?

For one Texas couple, Fred and Kathy, this horrifying situation became a reality. Believing they were genuinely speaking with their son, they quickly acted to help him.

Fred and Kathy thought they were on the phone with their son, but it was actually a scammer using AI voice technology. Credit: Pexels/Ron Lach.

‘I could have sworn I was talking to my son. We had a conversation,’ Kathy recalled.
The couple further recounted how the scammer resorted to extreme measures to persuade them of the gravity of the situation, fabricating a story that the person involved in the accident was a pregnant woman who had miscarried.

In a heart-wrenching twist, Kathy postponed her cancer treatment temporarily in order to collect the money as soon as possible.

However, it was later revealed that the couple had fallen victim to a scam that used AI to clone their son's voice.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns that scammers are increasingly using more sophisticated software to trick their targets.

An ACCC representative said: ‘With the emergence of new technologies, Scamwatch continues to see growing sophistication in scam approaches and is alert to the risks AI presents.’

‘This makes scams harder for the community to identify. The community should continue to approach any requests for personal information or money with caution and exercise caution when clicking on hyperlinks.’

While no reports of this specific AI scam have been made in Australia yet, Scamwatch states there is a real risk to the community.

The group also said that they continue to work with telecommunications and digital platform industry partners to identify methods to detect and disrupt scams.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to clone people's voices and trick unsuspecting parents and grandparents.
• A Texas couple fell victim to this scam, sending $5,000 for a fake emergency after believing they were genuinely speaking with their son.
• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns of the growing sophistication of scams using new technology like AI.
• It's crucial to exercise caution in responding to unsolicited calls or messages and to verify the identity of the person before providing personal information or money.

Being vigilant and sceptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages and suspicious requests for personal information or money is paramount.

When in doubt, disconnect the call and reach out to the individual directly through a reliable phone number.

As challenging as it may be, we must protect ourselves from falling prey to these unscrupulous fraudsters.

With technology continuously evolving, exercising caution and prioritising the security of our finances and loved ones is increasingly crucial.

Stay safe out there, folks! Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be aware of this new scam tactic.

If you're not sure . HANG UP AND CALL THE PERSON ON THERE PHONE .
.

ask personal questions. call them all the b's under the sun. what is this world coming too? i can block on my landline and my mobile gets scams. what a disgusting greedy place we have become.

 

[Taryn Gillan]

It's sad that in today's world, scammers are increasingly coming up with new ways to trick innocent people out of their hard-earned money.

The latest disturbing trends involve using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unsuspecting parents and grandparents.

Imagine this scenario: You receive a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like your son or daughter. They're crying and desperately asking for your help, claiming they've been in a car accident and need $5,000 for bail immediately. What would you do?

For one Texas couple, Fred and Kathy, this horrifying situation became a reality. Believing they were genuinely speaking with their son, they quickly acted to help him.

Fred and Kathy thought they were on the phone with their son, but it was actually a scammer using AI voice technology. Credit: Pexels/Ron Lach.

‘I could have sworn I was talking to my son. We had a conversation,’ Kathy recalled.
The couple further recounted how the scammer resorted to extreme measures to persuade them of the gravity of the situation, fabricating a story that the person involved in the accident was a pregnant woman who had miscarried.

In a heart-wrenching twist, Kathy postponed her cancer treatment temporarily in order to collect the money as soon as possible.

However, it was later revealed that the couple had fallen victim to a scam that used AI to clone their son's voice.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns that scammers are increasingly using more sophisticated software to trick their targets.

An ACCC representative said: ‘With the emergence of new technologies, Scamwatch continues to see growing sophistication in scam approaches and is alert to the risks AI presents.’

‘This makes scams harder for the community to identify. The community should continue to approach any requests for personal information or money with caution and exercise caution when clicking on hyperlinks.’

While no reports of this specific AI scam have been made in Australia yet, Scamwatch states there is a real risk to the community.

The group also said that they continue to work with telecommunications and digital platform industry partners to identify methods to detect and disrupt scams.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to clone people's voices and trick unsuspecting parents and grandparents.
• A Texas couple fell victim to this scam, sending $5,000 for a fake emergency after believing they were genuinely speaking with their son.
• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns of the growing sophistication of scams using new technology like AI.
• It's crucial to exercise caution in responding to unsolicited calls or messages and to verify the identity of the person before providing personal information or money.

Being vigilant and sceptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages and suspicious requests for personal information or money is paramount.

When in doubt, disconnect the call and reach out to the individual directly through a reliable phone number.

As challenging as it may be, we must protect ourselves from falling prey to these unscrupulous fraudsters.

With technology continuously evolving, exercising caution and prioritising the security of our finances and loved ones is increasingly crucial.

Stay safe out there, folks! Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be aware of this new scam tactic.

I recently received an email stating I hat someone with my surname had died and left me a huge inheritance!!! OMG they really think we’re stupid!!!!!

 

[gordon1940]

Our family will discuss this over Easter weekend. We all have to agree on what that word or question would be and practice it so it becomes second nature.

Ask the caller to quote your Birth Date??

 

[whiteyangel2002]

Just recently got a phone call with a robot voice, which sounded like an older Aussie lady. She said that $1300- was being taken out of my Visa Mastercard. I don't have a Visa Mastercard and promptly hung up. Just be aware that this scammers will try anything.

 

[KiwiTrish]

It's sad that in today's world, scammers are increasingly coming up with new ways to trick innocent people out of their hard-earned money.

The latest disturbing trends involve using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unsuspecting parents and grandparents.

Imagine this scenario: You receive a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like your son or daughter. They're crying and desperately asking for your help, claiming they've been in a car accident and need $5,000 for bail immediately. What would you do?

For one Texas couple, Fred and Kathy, this horrifying situation became a reality. Believing they were genuinely speaking with their son, they quickly acted to help him.

Fred and Kathy thought they were on the phone with their son, but it was actually a scammer using AI voice technology. Credit: Pexels/Ron Lach.

‘I could have sworn I was talking to my son. We had a conversation,’ Kathy recalled.
The couple further recounted how the scammer resorted to extreme measures to persuade them of the gravity of the situation, fabricating a story that the person involved in the accident was a pregnant woman who had miscarried.

In a heart-wrenching twist, Kathy postponed her cancer treatment temporarily in order to collect the money as soon as possible.

However, it was later revealed that the couple had fallen victim to a scam that used AI to clone their son's voice.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns that scammers are increasingly using more sophisticated software to trick their targets.

An ACCC representative said: ‘With the emergence of new technologies, Scamwatch continues to see growing sophistication in scam approaches and is alert to the risks AI presents.’

‘This makes scams harder for the community to identify. The community should continue to approach any requests for personal information or money with caution and exercise caution when clicking on hyperlinks.’

While no reports of this specific AI scam have been made in Australia yet, Scamwatch states there is a real risk to the community.

The group also said that they continue to work with telecommunications and digital platform industry partners to identify methods to detect and disrupt scams.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to clone people's voices and trick unsuspecting parents and grandparents.
• A Texas couple fell victim to this scam, sending $5,000 for a fake emergency after believing they were genuinely speaking with their son.
• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch warns of the growing sophistication of scams using new technology like AI.
• It's crucial to exercise caution in responding to unsolicited calls or messages and to verify the identity of the person before providing personal information or money.

Being vigilant and sceptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages and suspicious requests for personal information or money is paramount.

When in doubt, disconnect the call and reach out to the individual directly through a reliable phone number.

As challenging as it may be, we must protect ourselves from falling prey to these unscrupulous fraudsters.

With technology continuously evolving, exercising caution and prioritising the security of our finances and loved ones is increasingly crucial.

Stay safe out there, folks! Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can be aware of this new scam tactic.

It’s so scary how good they are getting so sad for the people who fall for it

 

[LynneM]

I would laugh. I am learning that it is possible because I am doing a course in graphic design, like Peter Jamo said I would ring them on there phone. Your going to have to stay there. If it was my children they would know I don't have that amount of money.

Same with my children, they know my bank account is nil always, live week to week on the pension lol

 

[Suzanne rose]

Just recently got a phone call with a robot voice, which sounded like an older Aussie lady. She said that $1300- was being taken out of my Visa Mastercard. I don't have a Visa Mastercard and promptly hung up. Just be aware that this scammers will try anything.

I get these every second day , saying it's funds coming out for a purchase from either ebay or Amazon I just hand up

 

[MindyMac]

Phone them back on the number you have and never ever on a new number that they give you. If they are away, tell them to confirm which hotel they are at, then get the hotel do a video call so you can actually see them and verify it's them. Then, never transfer from online account. Go out to the bank and get the money and then go to their bank to do the deposit.

 

[Trudi]

Just recently got a phone call with a robot voice, which sounded like an older Aussie lady. She said that $1300- was being taken out of my Visa Mastercard. I don't have a Visa Mastercard and promptly hung up. Just be aware that this scammers will try anything.

I get these calls all the time and I just hang up. There is no such thing as a "Visa Mastercard" as credit cards do not share their administration.