Bay Area mom out thousands after scammers use AI to mimic daughter's voice
A Bay Area woman lost thousands of dollars after scammers used AI to mimic her daughter's voice. The scammers claimed her daughter had been kidnapped and manipulated her into wiring money. Authorities warn that this type of fraud is on the rise, urging the public to be cautious with urgent financial requests.
- ▪Deborah Del Mastro was scammed after receiving a call from someone claiming her daughter was kidnapped.
- ▪The caller used AI to mimic her daughter's voice, creating a sense of urgency and fear.
- ▪Del Mastro wired $5,400 to the scammers before realizing it was a fraud when she contacted her daughter directly.
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MARTINEZ, Calif. (KGO) -- Thousands of dollars were stolen from a Bay Area woman after scammers used artificial intelligence to mimic her daughter's voice in what authorities describe as a growing type of fraud.Deborah Del Mastro said the incident began with a phone call from an unknown number one morning in May."This male voice said, 'Who is this?' and I said, 'Well, who is this?' And he said 'someone you need to talk to'," Del Mastro said.MORE: Pig butchering: Bay Area widow loses nearly $1M in crypto scheme, ChatGPT alerts her to scamThe caller then claimed her 37-year-old daughter, Sarah, had been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel after seeing something she wasn't supposed to.He played what Del Mastro believed was proof."It was my daughter's voice having an absolute panic attack,…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC7 San Francisco.
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