AI Scams: Voice Clones and Fake Videos

What this helps with: Spotting scams that use AI to copy a loved one’s voice, make fake videos of famous people, or push fake investments, and a simple family plan to stay safe.

Scammers now use AI to make their tricks more believable. The good news: the same simple steps still stop them. Slow down, hang up, and check.

Voice-clone “family emergency” calls

You get a call. It sounds exactly like your grandchild. They’re crying. They say they’re in jail or in a car crash and need money right now. Maybe they say, “Don’t tell Mom.”

The FTC says scammers can copy a voice with just a short clip, maybe from a video posted online.

What to do:

Don’t trust the voice, even if it sounds just like them.
Hang up. Or say, “I’ll call you right back.”
Call your family member at a number you already know is theirs.
Can’t reach them? Call another family member or friend. Do this even if the caller said to keep it secret.
Ask a question only the real person would know, like the name of your first dog.

Make a family code word

The FBI suggests creating a secret word or phrase with your family.

Pick a word that’s easy to remember but hard to guess. Not a pet’s name or anything posted online. For example, “blue pancakes.”
Share it with family in person or by phone, not in a group text or social media post.
Agree: anyone who calls asking for money in an emergency must say the code word.
No code word? Hang up and call them back yourself.

Fake videos of famous people

Scammers make fake videos, called deepfakes, of celebrities, TV hosts, or business leaders. The video might show them “recommending” an investment, a miracle product, or a giveaway.

Famous people don’t send you personal messages asking for money.
A video can look and sound real and still be fake.
Check the person’s official website or a well-known news source before believing it.

Fake investment ads

AI makes it easy to create ads and websites that look professional. Warning signs:

“Guaranteed” returns or “double your money.”
Pressure to act today.
Requests to pay with cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers.
Being added to a chat group full of “successful investors.”

Never invest because of an ad, a video, or a message from someone you met online. Talk to someone you trust first.

The payment rule

The FTC says scammers ask you to pay in ways that are hard to undo: wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps, or gift cards. If someone asks you to pay that way in a rush, it’s a scam.

If it happened to you

Stop sending money and stop replying.
Call your bank or card company right away.
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at ic3.gov.
Tell your family so they can watch out too.

It’s not your fault. These tricks fool many careful people.

Official sources

Last checked: Oct 21, 2026

AI changes fast. We review our AI guides every month. This is general help, not legal or financial advice. Outside the US, report scams to your local police or national fraud agency.