How to Protect Your Family from AI Voice Clone Scams

AI voice cloning has made the grandparent scam more dangerous than ever. Scammers can now clone a family member's voice from a few seconds of social media audio and make convincing calls. Here's how to protect your family.

How Voice Clone Scams Work

1. Scammer finds audio: Social media videos, voicemails, YouTube content - any public audio
2. AI clones the voice: Modern AI needs only 3-10 seconds to create a convincing clone
3. Scammer calls the target: Usually elderly relatives, using the cloned voice
4. Creates urgency: "Grandma, I'm in jail/had an accident/need help NOW"
5. Requests untraceable payment: Wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency

The cloned voice sounds exactly like your family member. Even skeptical people have been fooled.

Create a Family Code Word

The single best protection: a secret word only your family knows.

How to set it up:

1. Choose an unusual word or phrase (not something guessable from social media)
2. Share it only with immediate family in person
3. Agree: any emergency money request requires the code word
4. Practice using it so it feels natural

Example:

"If anyone ever calls asking for money urgently, I'll ask them our code word. If they don't know it, I hang up and call you directly."

Use our [AI Voice Clone Detector](/tools/ai-voice-clone-detector) to analyze suspicious calls.

Protect Vulnerable Family Members

Talk to Elderly Relatives

Older family members are primary targets. Have this conversation:

1. Explain the technology: AI can perfectly copy voices now
2. Establish the code word: Make sure they remember it
3. Permission to verify: Tell them to ALWAYS call back on a known number before sending money
4. No shame in checking: Reassure them that verifying is smart, not rude

Talk to Teenagers

Their social media provides voice samples. Discuss:

1. Privacy implications: Public videos = voice samples for scammers
2. Who might be targeted: Grandparents, aunts/uncles using their voice
3. The family code word: Make sure they know it too
4. What to do if contacted: Never send money, always verify

Verification Steps When You Get a Suspicious Call

If Someone Claims to Be Family in Trouble:

1. Stay calm: Scammers rely on panic
2. Ask for the code word: If they don't know it, hang up
3. Hang up and call back: Use a number you know is real, not one they give you
4. Ask specific questions: Things only the real person would know
5. Contact other family members: Verify the story independently
6. Never wire money or buy gift cards: Legitimate emergencies have other solutions

Red Flags:

• Extreme urgency ("Don't tell anyone, just send money NOW")
• Request for unusual payment (wire transfer, gift cards, crypto)
• "Don't call me back on my normal number"
• Asking you to keep it secret from other family
• Story that doesn't quite add up

Reduce Your Attack Surface

Limit Public Audio

• Set social media profiles to private
• Review what videos are publicly visible
• Be cautious about voice notes and videos online
• Consider not posting children's voices publicly

Voicemail Caution

• Keep voicemail greetings generic
• "You've reached [number], leave a message"
• Don't use names or personal details
• Consider a text-to-speech greeting

Caller ID Spoofing

Scammers can fake caller ID to show a family member's number. A call "from grandchild" might not be from their phone. Always verify by calling back.

What To Do If You're Targeted

If You Didn't Send Money:

1. Document the call (write down what happened)
2. Alert family members
3. Report to FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
4. Block the number
5. Reinforce the family code word

If You Did Send Money:

1. Contact your bank immediately - try to stop/reverse the transfer
2. If gift cards: contact the retailer (some can freeze cards)
3. Report to FTC and local police
4. Alert family members so they're not also targeted
5. Don't be embarrassed - these scams are sophisticated

The Family Conversation Script

Use this to start the conversation:

"I want to talk about something important. There's new technology that lets scammers copy anyone's voice perfectly using videos from social media. People are getting calls that sound exactly like family members asking for emergency money.

Let's create a code word that only our family knows. If anyone ever calls asking for money urgently, we'll ask for the code word first. If they don't know it, we hang up and call back on a number we know is real.

Our code word is: [choose together]

This isn't about being paranoid - it's about being smart. Real family members will understand if you want to verify."

The Bottom Line

Voice cloning technology is here, and scammers are using it. The good news: a simple family code word defeats most of these attacks. Have the conversation with your family now, before you get the call.

Protect your family, especially elderly relatives who might be targeted. A few minutes of preparation can prevent thousands of dollars in losses.

Use our [AI Voice Clone Detector](/tools/ai-voice-clone-detector) to analyze suspicious calls and learn more about protecting yourself.