Jun 6, 2026
Getting a phone call from a loved one asking for help is everyone’s nightmare. Now, advances in artificial intelligence are making it easier for scammers to turn that fear into a convincing con.
Instead of relying on a stranger’s voice, criminals can now use AI tools to create calls that sound like a friend, child or family member in distress. The goal is often to create enough panic that victims act before they have time to stop and think.
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That’s what Brenda Brookins thought was happening when she answered a phone call one afternoon around the time her son normally gets off work. The voice on the other end sounded exactly like his.
“I picked up the phone, and I said, ‘Hello,’ and he’s like ‘Mom? Mom?’ And it was his voice!” Brookins told Syracuse-based television station WSYR-TV.
“He said, ‘I just had a car accident.’ I said, ‘Are you OK?’ He said, ‘Mom, I need help!”
As the conversation continued, however, Brookins began to notice details that didn’t quite fit.
One of the first red flags was the word “mum” — a term she said her son has never used. Then another person joined the call, claiming to be a police officer at the scene of the accident. But there was one more clue that something wasn’t adding up. Although her son doesn’t live in New York, the call came from a 315 area code.
“I thought it could’ve been a police officer’s phone, but then when I sat and thought about it, the area code wasn’t right,” she said.
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Here’s how AI voice-cloning scams work and what you can do to protect yourself.
When a familiar voice isn’t real
AI voice-cloning scams use artificial intelligence to recreate a person’s voice, often from audio clips found online. Scammers can then use the technology to make phone calls that sound remarkably similar to a friend, child or other loved one.
As the technology becomes more accessible, these types of scams are becoming increasingly common. According to a 2026 survey by call protection company Hiya, one in four Americans reported receiving a deepfake voice call in the past year.
The stakes can be high. The Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from the previous year. Impostor scams accounted for nearly $3 billion in reported losses.
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Protecting yourself from AI scam calls
Brookins said she decided to share her experience in the hopes of helping others avoid falling for a similar scam. One of the biggest lessons she took away from the ordeal is the importance of having a family codeword.
“Set up a codeword with your family; maybe don’t do it over the phone or through text because, if you are being monitored, they’re gonna catch that,” she said. “I was so scared, I almost cried because I thought he had been in a car accident.”
The FTC also recommends taking a few simple steps if you receive a call from someone claiming to be a loved one in trouble:
- Pause before reacting. Scammers often use fear and urgency to cloud people’s judgment.
- If a loved one supposedly needs help, hang up and contact them directly using a number you trust.
- Don’t share personal or financial information with unexpected callers.
- Be cautious of requests for payment through gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
- If something feels off, check with a trusted friend or family member before taking action.
“You might think, oh, it’s never gonna happen to me, it’s never gonna happen to me, but it was just scary,” Brookins said.
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Victoria Vesovski is a Toronto-based staff reporter at Moneywise covering personal finance, lifestyle and trending news. She holds degrees from the University of Toronto and New York University, and her work has appeared on platforms including Yahoo Finance, MSN Money and Apple News.
