The FBI issued a warning on Thursday about a new scam where “malicious actors” are using artificial intelligence (AI)-generated voice memos to impersonate senior U.S. officials. These impersonators are targeting current and former government officials, as well as their contacts, in an effort to gain access to sensitive personal accounts.
Scam Tactics: Smishing and Vishing
The scammers have been using a combination of smishing (fraudulent text messages) and vishing (AI-generated voice messages) to establish rapport with their targets before attempting to steal personal information. The FBI advised that if any message claims to be from a senior U.S. official, recipients should not assume it is authentic.
How Scammers Operate
Once the scammers establish contact, they send malicious links disguised as tools to move the conversation to a separate messaging platform. By gaining access to personal or government accounts, they can target others within the government or even exploit stolen information to target victims outside the organization.
Potential Impact and Threats
According to the FBI, the scammers can also use acquired contact information to impersonate others, asking for sensitive information or funds. The targets of these scams include a variety of current and former senior U.S. federal and state officials, along with their contacts. However, the FBI has not revealed which officials have been targeted specifically.
The Rise of AI in Cybercrime
The FBI has previously warned that criminals are increasingly using generative AI for financial fraud schemes on a larger scale. These AI technologies can create convincing text, audio, images, and video, which are then used to deceive victims into sending money, participating in sextortion, or falling for other scams.
FBI Data on Cybercrime Trends
According to recent FBI data, the top three cybercrimes in 2024 were phishing, extortion, and breaches of personal data. Older people were the hardest hit, suffering losses nearing $5 billion. The FBI continues to monitor these threats closely as AI-powered scams become more prevalent.
