WARNING: AI Voice Cloning and Virtual Kidnappings
A call from someone you love in crisis is terrifying enough – but what if the voice begging for help isn’t really them? We break down how AI voice cloning is fueling virtual kidnapping scams, why panic is the weapon scammers count on, and the one conversation your family should have before the phone rings.
FBI Recommendations for Ransom Call Safety
If You Receive a Ransom Call
- ALWAYS attempt to contact your loved one before paying any ransom.
- Stop. Think. Do the kidnapper’s claims make sense?
- Listen closely without providing details or identifying information.
- Control your emotions.
- Demand to speak with your loved one.
- Ask for answers or a code word only your loved one would know.
- Buy time; scammers want to expedite a ransom payment.
Safety Tips
- Avoid providing personal information to strangers while traveling.
- Establish a code word only you and your loved ones know.
- Educate travelers and other loved ones on these scams.
- Check Department of State travel advisories prior to travel.
- When posting missing persons, be aware of scammers.
Report
-
- If you suspect a real kidnapping is taking place, or if you believe the ransom demand is a scheme, contact your nearest Police Department or FBI office.
- Phone: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
- Email: www.fbi.gov/contact-us
- Online: www.tips.fbi.gov/home
- If you suspect a real kidnapping is taking place, or if you believe the ransom demand is a scheme, contact your nearest Police Department or FBI office.
Jennifer DeStefano (right) and her daughter, Brianna
Courtesy: Jennifer DeStefano
Brianna with her younger sister, Aubrey, and her mother, Jennifer
Courtesy: Jennifer DeStefano
Jennifer’s mother with Brianna and Jennifer
Courtesy: Jennifer DeStefano
Jennifer and her daughter, Brianna
Courtesy: Jennifer DeStefano
Jennifer DeStefano giving a testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing on AI regulation.
Source: U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Additional Information:
Call the FBI
If this happens to you, report it right away: if money changed hands, contact your local FBI field office or call 1-800-CALL-FBI; even if you didn’t lose money, file a report at IC3.gov
Episode Source Material
- Original reporting by Nina Schutzman
- U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on AI regulation – June 13, 2023
- Scientific American (5-6-2024, by Ben Guarino) Accessed 5-19-2026
Defend yourself against AI imposter scams with a safe word - Artificial Imposters – Cybercriminals Turn to AI Voice Cloning for a New Breed of Scam (McAfee, 5-15-2024)
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