Local State Representative Warns Of New AI Voice Scam

May 14, 2024

State Rep. Joe Hogan is alerting constituents in the 142nd Legislative District about a new scam involving artificial intelligence that mimics the voices of elected officials to solicit donations fraudulently.

According to Hogan, a Republican from Middletown Township, scammers have started using AI technology to replicate voices and ask for money on behalf of charities.

The tactic was recently used to impersonate one of Hogan’s colleagues in another part of the state.

“Scammers have been getting more creative with their tactics in recent years,” said Hogan. “Their newest tactic now includes using AI to replicate voices and use it to scam you out of your hard-earned money. This has already happened in another area of the state, by fabricating the voice of one of my colleagues. I will never ask any of my constituents to donate money to a charity over the phone. If you get a call that sounds like me asking for money, it is a scam.”

The incident came to light following a fraudulent call made in Tioga County, which has since been referred to law enforcement, including the attorney general’s office.

Hogan advises anyone who receives a suspicious call to contact the authorities immediately and provided his office’s number, 215-752-6750, for any questions or concerns.

The Federal Trade Commission recently noted that impostor scams are the most commonly reported type of fraud in the U.S. Scammers increasingly using AI to automate calls and manipulate caller IDs.

The warning comes months after a AI-driven robocall impersonated President Joe Biden and urged New Hampshire voters to skip the presidential primary. That scheme was orchestrated by a political consultant who paid a New Orleans street magician $150 to create the deceptive message, according to the Associated Press.

The New York City Consumer and Worker Protection Department recently provided the below tips and information:

Signs It’s a Voice-Cloning Scam:

You are contacted out of the blue.
You are pressured to act immediately, with no time to think.
The caller is urgently requesting money, usually through a wire transfer, gift card, payment app, or cryptocurrency. These methods of payment make it nearly impossible to get a refund once you’ve been scammed.
The caller is requesting personal or private information from you.
You are told to keep the caller’s request a secret.

How to Respond

Ask questions. Caller ID can be faked. Although a scammer may sound like a loved one, they won’t be able to answer personal questions that only your real loved one would know the answer to. You can ask them to confirm details that aren’t publicly available.
Be skeptical. Hang up and call the person back, but don’t simply redial the number that called you – call their trusted number. If you can’t reach that loved one directly, try to reach out through another family member or friend.
Stop and think. Urgency is one of a scammer’s most powerful tools in getting you to do what they want. You can take control of the situation by pausing for a moment to consider the situation rationally.
Be wary of what you share on social media. Scammers learn information about you and your loved ones through personal information shared online. Be mindful of the information you share, and make your accounts private so only trusted friends can see your posts.
Report the scam. You can report scams online to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC will use your report to investigate and bring cases against other frauds, scams, and bad business practices.