AI voice clone impersonates U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in scam
An unknown person used AI software to impersonate U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sending voice messages and text communications via the Signal app to at least five senior officials, including foreign ministers and a U.S. state governor, reportedly attempting to manipulate them into sharing sensitive information. The incident was revealed through a July 3 internal State Department memo and prompted a formal investigation.
What happened
An unknown person used AI software to mimic the voice and writing style of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, creating a fake Signal account with the display name '[email protected]' to contact at least five senior officials including three foreign ministers, a U.S. state governor, and a member of Congress.
The impersonator left recorded voice messages in at least two cases and sent text invitations to targets asking them to communicate via Signal. According to a July 3 internal memo from Rubio's team to State Department staff, the recorded messages sounded convincing.
Reported impact
Authorities assessed that the impersonator's goal was to manipulate government officials into providing access to sensitive information or accounts.
The State Department confirmed it was conducting a thorough investigation and had implemented additional protective measures.
Index analysis
The incident represents one of the more concerning deception attacks using artificial intelligence, demonstrating the vulnerability of senior government officials to AI-generated voice impersonation despite encrypted communication protocols.
Governance controls
The State Department's spokesperson stated that a comprehensive investigation was underway and additional protective measures had been put in place, though she declined to comment on the content of the messages or names of targeted officials.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.