AI voice-cloning scam targets Florida family
Scammers used AI voice-cloning technology to impersonate a Florida man and deceive his parents into believing he had been arrested, demanding $30,000 in bail. The scammers obtained a voice sample from a brief television appearance and created a convincing fake call that traumatized the family before they recognized the scam.
What happened
Jay Shooster, a Florida State House candidate, received a report that scammers cloned his voice using AI to deceive his parents. The scammers made a phone call claiming Shooster had been in a serious car accident, was injured, arrested for DUI, and needed $30,000 for bail.
Shooster believes the scammers obtained his voice from a television appearance lasting 15 seconds that had aired just days before the scam call. His parents believed the ruse for approximately 15 minutes before becoming suspicious when the scammers refused payment by card.
Reported impact
Shooster's parents were traumatized by the call, believing their son was seriously injured and had ruined his life and career. The family narrowly avoided sending $30,000.
Index analysis
Shooster, who is a consumer protection lawyer, noted that despite having given presentations about such scams and discussed them with his family, they still almost fell for it, highlighting the effectiveness of AI voice-cloning scams.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.