Scary AI voice scams

Protecting you from the latest AI scam that imitates voices

At Castle Trust Financial Planning, your safety and security are always our top priority. Recently, a new type of scam has emerged, where criminals use advanced artificial intelligence to mimic the voices of loved ones or trusted institutions. This AI-voice scam is particularly deceptive, as it can trick people into sending money or sharing sensitive information, thinking they are speaking with someone they trust.

Generative AI can clone real voices, training algorithims by using original sound – for example, taking clips from social media, voicemails or voicenotes. Similar to when photoshop first appeared and people were able to create fake images. Have a read of this recent news story here.

How to protect yourself

Here are some tips to help you stay safe:

1. Trust your instincts: If something feels off during a call, listen to that feeling. Be cautious, especially if the caller is asking for urgent action or sensitive details.
2. Urgency is often used to get people to take action before they have a chance to check things out properly. Slow it down. Double check the information.
3. Verify the caller: Never share personal or financial information over the phone unless you initiated the contact or are certain of the caller’s identity. If in doubt, hang up and verify their identity through official channels.
4. Report suspicious calls: If you receive a call that seems suspicious, report it to the relevant authorities or your service provider.
5. Have a basic safety word within the family. If there’s a situation, then ask for this word. If the person you’re talking to doesn’t know this word, then you know you’re not talking with who you think you are.

Talk to your family (especially older family members) so they’re aware about the types of scams out there. Older people are more susceptible to scammers as they don’t want to appear rude or suspicious, or feel incompetent. 

Our commitment to your security

To safeguard your financial well-being, we’ve implemented additional controls for all investment deposits.

Your peace of mind is important to us, so if you have any concerns or simply want to discuss this in more detail, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help ensure your finances are protected.