Yesterday on X (formerly Twitter), @JayShooster shared that his Dad got a phone call no parent wants to get.  “He heard me tell him I was in a serious car accident, injured, and under arrest for a DUI and I needed $30,000 to be bailed out of jail.  But it wasn’t me.  There was no accident.  It was an AI scam.”

Was it a coincidence that this happened after an interview with him aired on television?  He spoke for about 15 seconds, and it seems that’s 15 seconds too long, enough for his voice to be cloned.

Now, don’t be quick to say this won’t happen to you.  Shooster is a consumer protection lawyer, and he has given talks about this type of scam, posted warnings online, and also talked to his family about it.  And still his Dad almost fell for it.

Shooster is not alone, as many have shared similar experiences, and worse, became a victim.  AI voice scams are clearly on the rise in the U.S., and no doubt it will soon come to our side of the globe, if it hasn’t already.

Recently, both PLDT-Smart and Globe have issued warnings about ‘vishing’ or voice phishing.

According to Jojo Gendrano, SVP and Chief Information Security Officer at PLDT and Smart: “Criminals are quick to adapt. Now that our new firewall has made it harder for them to send text scams, they now resort to calling customers on their mobile phones or via over-the-top apps to lure them into revealing critical personal data.”

The telco added that fraudsters have also started using AI to generate life-like voices or mimic the voice of a victim’s close acquaintance to gain their trust, similar to Shooster’s experience.  "They may address the victim by his or her name to sound legitimate. They typically induce panic in their victims by warning them of account closure or suspension. These cybercriminals may also tell customers that they have been chosen for a free credit card upgrade and will only need to confirm their information to activate the new card. Either of these tactics is being used to persuade customers into revealing sensitive data.”

How not to be the next victim?  These tips may come in handy.

#1 Always verify callers

When you get an unsolicited call, make sure to confirm the caller’s identity.  Do not share any personal or sensitive information until you do so. If the same caller gave you a call-back number, don’t use it as it may be part of the scam. Instead, call the company's official phone number to confirm.  If the caller said he or she is from your bank, call your bank or branch where you opened your account to check.  Yes, this can be a hassle, but losing your money or having your identity stolen are much worse.

#2 Ignore calls from unknown numbers

I discovered that I can program my mobile to mute calls from unknown numbers, and what a relief not to have it ring from likely fraudsters, or phone marketers.  However, it meant I missed calls from delivery personnel of online shopping apps, but they also send text messages so that’s an acceptable workaround.  While it’s tempting to answer every phone call and just see who it is, better to let it go to voicemail if you can, and then decide which calls you will return.

#3 It’s okay to hang up

No need to be polite with fraudsters, just hang up. I once picked up a call from an unknown number, because I panicked after seeing many missed calls.  My old bank was acquired by another bank and it was the transition weekend.  These fraudsters somehow manage to find out about these things and I was told that they need my information to verify my account because of the change.  But something felt off, so I dropped the call and called someone I know from the bank. She confirmed that was a scam.  

#4 Use two-factor authentication

When my credit card was hacked, the bank was quick to reverse the charges because all of the unauthorized charges went through without two-factor authentication.  That was such a relief for me, and I have signed up for two-factor authentication whenever possible. In fact, if they offer three-factor authentication, I will be one of the first to enroll.  When it comes to your money and personal information, it’s good to add extra layers of security to both your mobile device (or tablet, or laptop) and accounts.

#5 Share less, protect yourself more

If you’re thinking what happened to Shooster won’t happen to you, think again.  Maybe your work will not require you to be interviewed by media like him, but any chance you are uploading YouTube videos?  Posting on TikTok with audio?  Then your voice is out there and can also be cloned.  Be careful what you share on social media because it goes out to the world, which sadly has many scammers living in it.  Try to purge your personal information that’s readily available on the web, from birthdays to emails to addresses.  The less they know, the less they can target you.