Should you answer an unknown call? Staying silent could help beat AI voice scams

If you receive a call from an unknown number, think twice before you speak. Your voice could be used to create an AI clone of you and scammers can use it to trick your family, friends or even your bank.

A host of celebrities have joined a campaign warning about the growing threat of AI voice cloning.

TV personalities including Matt Lucas and Hugh Bonneville are backing the Save Our Voices campaign, which aims to stop people’s voices being cloned and misused by scammers.

The campaign claims 28% of UK adults say they have been targeted by a voice-cloning scam.

Around 80 people have also signed an open letter to prime minister Andy Burnham, while a Gov.uk petition is calling for everyone in Britain to have ownership of their voice recognised as a statutory right.

What's AI voice cloning?

AI voice cloning uses artificial intelligence to create a digital copy of a person’s voice from a short audio recording.

That means a few seconds of your voice could potentially be enough for a scammer to create a convincing imitation.

Scammers can then use that cloned voice to pretend to be you, or someone you know, in an attempt to make you send money or reveal personal information.

How do AI voice-cloning scams work?

Scammers can use several techniques:

• Harvesting your voice: They may take short audio clips from social media, videos or even phone calls.
• Creating the clone: AI software can analyse the recording and reproduce features such as your voice, accent, pitch and tone.
• Spoofing the number: Scammers can make a call appear to come from a number you recognise or trust.
• Creating a crisis: They may claim that a loved one has been arrested, had a car accident or is in serious trouble, putting you under pressure to act quickly.

Why you should think before saying ‘hello’

If you answer an unidentified call and immediately start talking, you could be giving a scammer a sample of your voice.

That doesn't mean every unknown call is dangerous, or that a few words will automatically allow someone to clone your voice. But with AI making voice imitation more convincing, it's sensible to be cautious about who you speak to.

How can you protect yourself?

• Stay silent at first: if you answer an unknown call, wait for the other person to speak rather than immediately saying ‘hello’.
• Hang up if something feels wrong: silence, an unusual pause, a click or a recorded message can all be reasons to end the call.
• Send unknown callers to voicemail: check your phone settings to see if you can automatically silence calls from numbers that aren't in your contacts.
• Use call-screening tools: your mobile provider may offer features designed to identify or block suspicious calls.
• Don't trust a familiar voice: if someone claiming to be a friend or relative asks for money or personal information, don't assume the voice proves who they are. Call them back using a number you already have.
• Report suspicious activity: you can forward suspicious texts to 7726 and report fraudulent calls through the appropriate official channels.

If you don't recognise the number, you don't have to speak.

Let the call go to voicemail if you can. If you do answer, stay quiet and let the caller identify themselves first.

And if someone phones claiming to be a loved one in an emergency, don't let a convincing voice rush you into sending money or sharing sensitive information. Hang up and contact the person another way.