The family safe word: your defence against AI voice-clone calls

The problem in one sentence: Scammers can now copy the sound of a loved one's voice and call you asking for money.

The FTC (the U.S. Federal Trade Commission) describes it this way: a scammer takes a short audio clip of your family member's voice, often from something posted online, and runs it through a voice-cloning program. When they call, they "sound just like your loved one." The FBI warned about the same thing in December 2024: criminals make short clips of a loved one's voice "in a crisis situation, asking for immediate financial assistance or demanding a ransom."

Your 3-step plan:

Pick a family safe word today. Choose a word or short phrase that only your family knows. Don't post it, don't text it to everyone, and don't use something easy to guess, such as a pet's name that is on Facebook. The FBI's own advice: "Create a secret word or phrase with your family to verify their identity."
If a panicked call comes in, ask for the word, and never say it first. A real family member will know it. A clone won't.
Hang up and call back on a number you already know. The FTC says: "Don't trust the voice." Call the person directly. If you can't reach them, call another relative or a friend, even if the caller told you to keep it secret.

Red flags (from the FTC and FBI): the caller wants money right now, insists on secrecy, or asks for payment by wire transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Two extra habits:

Keep family videos and voice clips private where you can. The FBI suggests limiting public posts of your voice and image.
If it happened to you, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to the FBI at ic3.gov.

Do this now: text your family and say, "Let's pick a safe word at dinner this week." Agree on the word in person, not over text.