T.N. Cyber Crime Police issue advisory on new scam involving AI voice cloning

Beware of AI voice cloning scam using emotional manipulation to deceive victims into transferring money, warns Tamil Nadu Police.

The Cyber Crime Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police has issued an advisory on a new impersonation scam that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) voice cloning, and has asked the public to be cautious about unsolicited calls received on their mobile phones.

Police said that cyber fraudsters are now employing voice cloning, using advanced AI technology, to mimic the voices of trusted individuals, such as family members, over phone calls.

The calls come under the pretext of an emergency, and by creating a sense of urgency or distress, deceive victims into transferring money quickly, exploiting their trust.

This tactic highlights the evolving sophistication of cybercrimes and emphasises the importance of awareness and caution to prevent residents from falling victim to such fraudulent schemes, the police said.

The Cyber Crime Wing said the scam begins with a phone call to the victim from a scamster posing as someone the victim knows and trusts, such as a family member or friend. The scamster may claim to be in urgent need of financial assistance due to a fabricated emergency or threat. The scamster uses various tactics to evoke a sense of urgency and emotional distress in the victim. He/she may employ sobbing or pleading tones, claiming to be in a dire situation that requires immediate help.

Behind the scenes, the scamster utilises sophisticated AI software to clone the voice of the person they are impersonating. They get a voice sample of the person from social media posts/videos or by just talking to the person over the phone using a ‘wrong number’ tactic. This technology allows them to mimic the voice as well as the intonation and emotional nuance of the victim’s trusted contact, convincingly.

“In a nutshell, the scamsters use an AI-generated cloned voice to commit cybercrimes,” said Sanjay Kumar, ADGP, Cyber Crime Wing.