In a surprising turn toward low-tech solutions, the FBI now recommends using secret passwords with family members to combat AI voice cloning scams. It’s a straightforward defense against an increasingly sophisticated threat.
How the Scam Works
Criminals use AI to clone voices of family members, typically calling relatives with urgent pleas for emergency money or ransom payments. The technology has become good enough to fool people into believing they’re speaking with their actual loved ones.
The Password Solution
The FBI’s recommendation is elegantly simple: Share a secret word or phrase with family members. If someone calls claiming to be family and asking for urgent help, simply request the password. No password, no trust.
Think of it like a real-world two-factor authentication. The scammer might have your voice, but they won’t have your secret code.
Important Context
Voice cloning isn’t magic – it typically requires existing voice samples to work. If you’re not posting podcasts, interviews, or speeches online, you’re at lower risk. Still, the password approach costs nothing to implement and could save your family from a devastating scam.
Implementation Tips
– Choose a memorable but unusual phrase
– Don’t share it outside immediate family
– Change it periodically
– Use it consistently – even for non-emergency calls
– Train family members to be suspicious of urgent money requests
Beyond Passwords
While passwords help, stay alert for other red flags:
– Unusual word choices or speech patterns
– Pressure to act immediately
– Requests to keep the call secret
– Demands for specific payment methods
Bottom Line
AI voice cloning represents a new twist on old scam techniques. The FBI’s password recommendation might seem almost too simple, but that’s exactly why it works. No matter how good AI gets at mimicking voices, it can’t read your mind to know your family’s secret phrase.
The best security solutions don’t always require cutting-edge technology. Sometimes, a simple password is all you need.