Scammers Can Clone Your Voice Faster Than You Think; Here's How to Stay Safe

Cybersecurity experts claim that malefactors are employing advanced technologies to mimic human speech. AI is a technology that can mimic a person's voice from a few seconds of audio. Using this approach they create phony recordings that sound just like a genuine person. They then deceive your friends, relatives, or coworkers into providing them with money or information by using these fictitious messages. For this reason, exercising caution is crucial. Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, and if you do, hold off on speaking with the person right immediately. That's the opinion of specialists like Chris Hauk, a privacy protectionist. You have the option to report unknown callers to your voicemail and blacklist potential con artists. This can protect you against deceptive voice copying techniques.

U.S. spam call statistics

Millions of spam calls are received by Americans each month, making phone scams a major issue in the country. About 68.4 million residents were impacted by these scams, which cost people $39.5 billion in 2022 alone. Each victim lost, on average, $567.41, which is a substantial rise over the previous year, reports Sun.

The U.S.  saw a 56% increase in spam calls in 2021, with 60% of them being automated robocalls. On average, people in the U.S. receive 18 spam calls each month, but some experts believe that the number might be as high as 31 per month. Legitimate phone calls from nearly 38% of businesses are being reported as possible fraud. This means that a large number of calls even from reliable companies may be mislabeled as spam.

To protect yourself from these scammers, never give out personal or financial information over the phone, especially if you suspect it’s a scam. Remember, your bank will never ask for this information over the phone.

Reducing spam calls is another action you can do. Joining the Do Not Call Registry can be beneficial because it is legally mandated that telemarketers look up your name on this list before contacting you. Moreover, you may assist filter out spam calls by downloading apps like Hiya, Nomorobo, or Truecaller. It's important to be cautious about sharing your phone number, especially online or with unreliable sources. This can help minimize the chances of your number falling into the hands of scammers.

How can you stay safe?

Here's what you can do to stay safe:

1. Let Unknown Calls Go to Voicemail: If someone important is calling you, they'll likely leave a message. This helps you avoid talking to scammers or automated calls.

2. Set Up Your Voicemail: Make sure your voicemail is set up so you don't miss any important messages. Plus, it stops scammers from using your voice.

3. Return Calls to Known Numbers: If someone leaves a message, call them back on a number you know is good. That way, you can make sure it's them.

4. Save Important Numbers: Save numbers like your doctor or your child's school on your phone. This makes it easier to recognize calls you want to answer right away.

Remember, as technology gets better, scams like this might become more common. So, it's important to stay alert and take steps to protect yourself.