Should You Have A Family ‘Safe Word’ Against AI Voice-Spoofing Scams?

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Dan Woods has a family safety protocol against criminals who prey on every parent’s nightmare.

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He has rehearsed with his daughters a code word so that if they’re in danger and call their dad for help, Woods knows it’s really them and not an impostor faking his child in distress.

Woods, a digital security executive and a former law enforcement and intelligence officer, admits that he is “a little over the top” with safety.

But Woods also knows that criminals will say anything — even falsely claiming that they have kidnapped your loved one or using artificial intelligence to fake their voice pleading for help — to convince you to send money.

Should we all set up anti-impostor code words with friends and family? Or is that overkill for a terrifying but uncommon danger — like wearing a helmet everywhere in case you’re hit by falling debris?

The best advice is also hard to follow: If someone calls to say your loved one is in trouble — even if the voice sounds like your loved one — be suspicious and try to verify what’s happening.

Easier said than done, right? That’s why it’s helpful to plan ahead, while also considering the risk of excessive vigilance, particularly for children.

How common are hoaxes pretending to be a loved one in distress?

They’re probably uncommon, but the available information is incomplete.

A broad category of impostor scams were the most commonly reported type of fraud in the United States last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Most of those scams involve someone impersonating a business or official agency such as the Social Security Administration, the utility company or tech support to demand money or personal information.

Less common were people duped by someone tricking them into thinking a friend or family member is in trouble. It could also be a criminal claiming he’s a police officer or doctor who is trying to help your loved one.

Cheap and easy-to-use AI also is making it scarily simple for criminals to fake the voice of your grandchild in trouble or a child appearing to say whatever the crook wants.

As terrifying as that is, most scams aren’t high tech. It could be a simple text or call from a “lawyer” saying that your brother was arrested on vacation and needs bail money.

Fear is what makes a hoax potent, not the sophistication of the technology.

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