FBI warns of AI voice impersonation scams targeting US officials
Since April 2025, fraudsters have used AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior US officials in smishing and vishing scams targeting government officials and their contacts, according to an FBI warning. The attackers aim to steal login credentials and personal information by establishing rapport and directing victims to malicious links.
What happened
Since April 2025, malicious actors have been sending text messages and AI-generated voice messages that appear to be from senior US officials, according to an FBI warning issued in May 2025.
The scheme targets individuals who are current or former senior US federal or state government officials and their contacts, using techniques known as smishing (SMS/MMS messaging) and vishing (voice calls with AI-generated voices) to carry out spear phishing attacks.
Reported impact
The fraudsters aim to establish rapport and gain access to personal accounts by sending malicious links under the pretense of switching to a separate messaging platform.
Access to personal or official accounts could be used to target other government officials or their associates and contacts by using trusted contact information obtained through the scams.
Governance controls
The FBI issued a public warning urging recipients not to assume messages claiming to be from senior US officials are authentic and to verify identities before responding.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.