AI Scam: Man Shares How His Parents Almost Lost 25 Lakhs Through Voice Cloning

Viral news: Jay Shooster, a candidate for the Florida State House, recently revealed a startling experience on the social media platform X. His parents nearly fell victim to a voice-cloning AI scam that almost cost them $30,000.

Shooster's parents received a call from someone who sounded identical to him, claiming to be in a car accident, getting arrested for DUI, and needing $30,000 for bail. Shooster clarified that the voice was a clone created using just 15 seconds of his voice from a recent TV appearance.

Despite being aware of such scams, Shooster was surprised that his own family almost fell for it. He emphasised the need for awareness and stricter AI regulations to prevent similar incidents. He also highlighted the potential complications of voice-cloning technology, where people in real emergencies may struggle to prove their identity to loved ones.

Many took to the comments section of Shooster's post, noting the rise of AI-powered scams and the need for secret passphrases to verify identities. One user commented, "Probably not a coincidence. And it is nonetheless identity theft." Another user shared a similar experience: "My dad got a call from my oldest son. He didn't fall for the scam though because he called him 'grandpa' which isn't what my son calls him."