How the scam works
- Caller says your child, spouse, or relative is in danger and you must pay now.
- AI tools clone the loved one's voice from short clips on social media.
- Faces and video can also be synthesised — be wary of unexpected video calls.
- Business variant: cloned CEO or manager voice messages instructing payment.
What to do during the call
- Stay calm. Do not send money under emotional pressure.
- Hang up and call the loved one directly on a number you already know.
- Check with another family member or friend in parallel.
- Do not trust caller ID — phone numbers can be spoofed.
- Never share banking details, one-time codes, or grant remote access.
Set up a family safety net (before anything happens)
- Agree on a family 'safe word' that only you would know.
- Use a callback rule — always hang up and dial the known number back.
- Reduce public videos and voice recordings on social media.
- Talk to older relatives about this scam so they know what to expect.
Signs of an AI-generated voice or video
- Unnatural breathing, intonation, or speech rhythm
- Lips that do not match the audio
- Robot-like pauses and unblinking eyes
- Audio that sounds compressed, muffled, or distorted
Legal context
In Australia, deepfake-based scams may breach laws on fraud, blackmail and extortion, misuse of a carriage service, identity crime, cybercrime, defamation, and money laundering. Police and ReportCyber can investigate — preserve every message and recording.