AI voice cloning scam : fonctionnement, signaux et que faire

Social engineering · alto

The scammer gets voice samples from social media videos, voice messages, interviews or even a short call where the victim says "hello, who's this?". AI tools generate new speech in that voice, live or as recorded clips.

Common uses: a call or WhatsApp voice note from a "child" in trouble asking for a transfer; a boss demanding urgent payment; a fake kidnapping with the victim's screams in the background; and ads with celebrity voices promoting fake investments or products. There are also attempts to fool bank systems that use voice as a password.

The FBI IC3 received 22,364 complaints with an AI component in 2025, with US$ 893.3 million in losses. Surfshark Research estimates global deepfake fraud losses of about US$ 2.5 billion in 2025.

Sinais / Signs

A familiar voice with an urgent request for money and secrecy
A call from an unknown or new number "because my phone broke"
Evasive answers to personal questions
Flat intonation, odd pauses or artificial background noise
A celebrity "recommending" an investment in an ad

Prevenção / Prevention

Agree on a code word with family and the finance team
Hang up and call the person back on their known number
Limit who can see your and your children's videos and audio online
Avoid talking much on calls from unknown numbers
Do not rely on voice as the only authentication factor at your bank

O que fazer / What to do

If you transferred money, alert your bank right away (in Brazil, request a MED claim for Pix)
Keep the audio, number and messages
Report to IC3 and the FTC (US) or file a police report (Brazil)
Tell the impersonated person so they can warn their contacts

FAQ

How much audio is needed to clone a voice?

Current tools can produce reasonable imitations from a few seconds, and quality improves with more material.

Is there an app that detects cloned voices?

Tools are in development, but none is foolproof. Verifying through another channel and using a code word remain the most reliable defenses.

FBI IC3 - Internet Crime Complaint Center · FTC - ReportFraud · FBI IC3 2025 Internet Crime Report (PDF, cópia) · Surfshark Research - Deepfake fraud statistics · CERT.br