Deepfake vishing: the phone call is wearing someone else's face

There are five free ways to protect against AI voice cloning scams, starting with agreeing on a secret code word with family — which the source calls one of the best defences available — and also including hanging up and calling back on a saved number, recognising urgency as a red flag, knowing that legitimate emergencies are never solved with gift cards or crypto, and auditing what audio and video of you is publicly accessible online.

AI voice cloning is now cheap, free, and available to anyone with an internet connection. In just a few seconds, it can learn a person's pitch, rhythm, accent, and even the way they laugh — then generate entirely new sentences in that voice. A frantic call from someone you love can sound convincing enough to override every instinct telling you something is wrong.

The defence is almost insultingly simple: hang up, and call them back on the number already saved in your phone. A real emergency can wait 30 seconds. A spoofed line cannot.

Gobble's Take: The scammer is counting on love being faster than logic. Make it slower by exactly 30 seconds. Source: Perplexity Search

Deepfake vishing: the phone call is wearing someone else's face

AI voice attacks mimic a colleague, a relative, or a boss — tone, intonation, speech patterns and all — while caller ID spoofing makes the number look trusted. Then comes the script: a relative needs money for an accident-related fine, a manager needs an urgent transfer for an "overdue contract," an IT helpdesk voice needs a password reset right now. The voice sounds right. The urgency feels real. That's the whole trick — land both before the person has a moment to think.

Gobble's Take: A familiar voice on the phone is not proof of anything. It's just a very good costume. Source: Perplexity Search

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