Parents warned of disturbing kidnapping scheme using kids voice replicas

Phone scams have been around for a while, but recent advancements in artificial intelligence technology is making it easier for bad actors to convince people they have kidnapped their loved ones.Scammers are using AI to replicate the voices of people’s family members in fake kidnapping schemes that convince victims to send money to the scammers in exchange for their loved ones’ safety.The scheme recently targeted two victims in a Washington state school district.Highline Public Schools in Burien, Washington, issued a Sept.25 notice alerting community members that the two individuals were targeted by “scammers falsely claiming they kidnapped a family member.”“The scammers played [AI-generated] audio recording of the family member, then demanded a ransom,” the school district wrote.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has noted a nationwide increase in these scams, with a particular focus on families who speak a language other than English.”In June, Arizona mother Jennifer DeStefano testified before Congress about how scammers used AI to make her believe her daughter had been kidnapped in a $1 million extortion plot.She began by explaining her decision to answer a call from an unknown number on a Friday afternoon.“I answered the phone ‘Hello.’ On the other end was our daughter Briana sobbing and crying saying, ‘Mom,’” DeStefano wrote in her congressional testimony.

“At first, I thought nothing of it.… I casually asked her what happened as I had her on speaker walking through the parking lot to meet her sister.

Briana continued with, ‘Mom, I messed up,’ with more crying and sobbing.”At the time, DeStefano had no idea a bad actor had used AI to replicate her daughter’s voice on the other line.She then heard a man’s voice on the other end yelling demands at her daughter, as Briana — her voice, at least — continued to scream that bad men had “taken” her.“A threatening and vulgar man took over the call.‘Liste...