The AI voice scam that preys on your fears – how you can protect yourself

2025 has been flooded with scams. Criminals are getting smarter, faster, and far more convincing when it comes to stealing money. But this scam is one of the most ruthless yet, because it targets your emotions.

You receive a voicemail. It sounds exactly like someone you love. They say they’re in trouble. They sound scared and that they need help immediately.

But it isn’t them at all. It’s an AI-generated clone of their voice.

How the scam works

Scammers don’t need much to fool you, sometimes just three seconds of audio.

Here’s what they do:

• they grab a short clip of someone’s voice from social media videos
• or they call a number and record a simple phrase like “hello, who is it?”
• using AI, they clone that voice
• they then create a fake message saying whatever they want

You’ll usually hear a message claiming your loved one:

• has been robbed
• has been in a car crash
• is in trouble and needs money urgently

They pressure you to act fast. They ask you to transfer money to a new or unknown bank account. To make it even more convincing, the phone number may appear to be real, because numbers can be spoofed too.

The goal is to panic you so you don’t stop to think.

What you should do if you receive a message like this

If you get a voicemail or call like this, pause, as scammers rely on urgency.

You should:

• stop and think before acting
• listen carefully for anything strange or unnatural in the voice
• ask yourself: would they really say this and would they really ask for money this way?

Before doing anything else:

• call your loved one directly using a number you already trust
• if they answer, they can confirm they’re safe

You can also protect yourself in advance by:

• setting up a family codeword, something only you and your loved ones would know
• if there’s ever a real emergency, they can say the codeword to prove it’s really them

How you can reduce the risk

You can make it harder for scammers to copy voices linked to you or your family:

• Limit what you share publicly - be careful with videos and audio you post online. Consider making your social media accounts private.
• Use a default voicemail greeting - replace custom voicemail messages with the standard automated one from your provider. This reduces voice samples scammers can steal.

What to do if you’re targeted

• report the incident to Action Fraud 
• contact the police.
• inform your bank immediately if you believe your account has been compromised. 
• Citizens Advice can provide information on whether you can get your money back after a scam

Stay informed

Knowledge is your best defence. Read our guide about outsmarting online scammers and stay updated on the latest scams.

Trust your instincts and always take a moment to think before acting.