Scammers Use AI To Clone Teenager's Voice For Kidnapping Scam

In a shocking case that has come to light, scammers used artificial intelligence to clone a teen's voice and call her mother for a ransom of one million dollars. According to Jennifer DeStefano, she received a call from an unknown number while her 15-year-old daughter, Briana, was on vacation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained prominence as a result of ChatGPT, and other businesses are developing the technology. For the foreseeable future, the three major behemoths—Google, Microsoft, and Meta—appear to be investing in and focusing on the field of artificial intelligence.

However, experts have frequently cautioned us about the negative aspects of AI and how certain people might abuse the technology. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, had previously voiced his own concerns about potential AI abuse.

In light of these assertions, a recent occurrence that stunned the entire world involved scammers using artificial intelligence to mimic the voice of a teenage girl and demand money from her mother.

AI Clones Teenager's Voice For Kidnapping Scam

According to a report from WKYT, a CBS News-affiliated US news outlet, a woman from Arizona named Jennifer DeStefano received a call from an unknown number a few days ago. DeStefano revealed to the news outlet that she received the call while her 15-year-old daughter was out on a skiing trip.

The mother picked up the phone and immediately heard her daughter crying and saying, "Mom. Help Me" The next thing she heard was a man's voice saying, a man claimed she got her daughter. When the mother, who was at a dance studio with another daughter, told the kidnapper that she didn't have the money, he reduced his demand from 1 million dollars to 50,000 dollars.

While DeStefano was on the phone with the scammers, another mother at the studio contacted the police and another contacted her husband. They checked on Briana to see whether she was alright.

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They determined within minutes that her teenage daughter was secure and travelling on her skiing trip. DeStefano claimed that the voice on the other end of the line sounded just like her daughter.

DeStefano recently posted on Facebook about the incident. She cautioned others to prepare a "family emergency word or question that only you know, so you can validate you are not being scammed with AI" after posting the news article on social media.

An investigation into the situation is currently being conducted by the police. However, the fraudsters have yet to be found and caught.