I think I just got a deepfake phone call

[Jem]

So, I'm kinda freaking out a bit...creeped out.
The phone rang, and it showed "unknown number"...Now, I usually don't answer the phone unless I know who is calling but something in me said to pick up as my husband sometimes comes up as "unknown number" and we've been having some health issues with his shop cat so I answered.
The voice on the other side said "hey momma, how's it going"...IN MY HUSBANDS VOICE...or very close to it as it was a little low. And kinda sad sounding. It's also something he would say. I answered, "Hey, you showed up as unknown caller again"...and it just disconnected.
I waited a few minutes for him to call back because I figured we just got cut off. But when he didn't, I called him back...He said he did not call me. And I know this isn't a prank...not his style.

So now I'm freaking. Who got my husbands voice? And how would they know to call me with it? Was my voice now recorded to now use against my family? Thankfully, nothing I said was "affirming" like yes or yeah...so hopefully they won't be able to use my voice to scam my bank...I hope

Should I be calling all my financial institutions to warn them that If "I" call...to ignore it?
I'll for sure call my family...

Help!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I don't know but I might talk to someone at the bank just to see what they advise. Maybe they can put a flag on your accounts just in case?

 

[rubysmama]

Weird, and rather creepy. And probably something we all need to be wary of.

Not sure what to advise, but for sure tell your family. And maybe talk to your bank.

 

[kashmir64]

I worked at a bank for four years and we weren't allowed to give any info over the phone.
I would be more concerned that someone hacked your phone and they now have all your passwords.
If this is the case, be sure to tell your family about it. Maybe set up a 'safe word' so that they know it's really you or your husband.
Also, change your passwords and don't keep them on your phone.

 

[Jem]

I would be more concerned that someone hacked your phone and they now have all your passwords.

This "hacker" called my landline...I don't have a cell phone...
I'm actually kinda "online paranoid". I don't save any passwords or credit card information on my computer. I also change my passwords regularly.
I'm just concerned about if they got enough audio from me to recreate my voice moving forward...and also how they got my husbands voice.

 

[susanm9006]

Is it possible that someone coincidentally has a voice like your husband and misdialed? Then when he heard a voice he didn’t recognize, hung up? It would just seem strange for them to immediately hang up without asking for something.

 

[DreamerRose]

It was an artificial intelligence call. There was a segment on NBC Nightly News about this. AI can now imitate voices with no problem. Don't worry about your bank accounts - they always ask for information that only you can provide. My guess is a scammer was going to ask you to send some money for something.

 

[Jem]

My guess is a scammer was going to ask you to send some money for something.

I talked to my sister and she said that what I said probably turned them off of me.
I'll admit, I was slightly annoyed at the time I answered...a little on purpose because it was an "unknown caller" but also because I was interrupted doing stuff. So after I heard "my husband" and I answered, basically immediately that "Your number is showing unknown caller" after saying hi, my sister said, "you probably scared them off with what you answered." They may have thought I was calling them out on their scam by saying the unknown caller thing...and just hung up.
If that's the case, I guess it pays to sound cranky if you feel you have to answer an unknown call.
I just hope I didn't give them enough of my voice to replicate with their AI tech and try to scam other family members.



On a side note....

Lily just jumped on my lap, turn around and farted in my face...so, that's how my day is going.

 

[kashmir64]

Since it wasn't a cell phone, IMO it was just a spam call or wrong number with a sound-a-like voice.
Don't let it stress you out Unless someone has some serious AI voice software (I've done AI voices before) it takes a lot of voice clips to make an AI voice.
I'm not saying it's impossible, just very unlikely. So calm down and don't stress.

 

[nurseangel]

I would notify the police. I am pretty sure that is who everyone called when we were getting a lot of fake IRS calls in the area. It can't hurt to call them. I think you did the right thing, but the next person they call may not. Goodness, that is creepy. They probably won't mess with you again - I pretended to be very concerned over "owing" the IRS money and the man starting yelling, "Mistake! Mistake!" and hung up on me.

 

[DreamerRose]

Since it wasn't a cell phone, IMO it was just a spam call or wrong number with a sound-a-like voice.
Don't let it stress you out Unless someone has some serious AI voice software (I've done AI voices before) it takes a lot of voice clips to make an AI voice.
I'm not saying it's impossible, just very unlikely. So calm down and don't stress.

If her husband argued with someone else over a phone call, they could have picked up his voice.

 

[IndyJones]

The problem is these call centers are in countries like india and china where laws are different if any exist pertaining to telecommunications. The poliece can't really do much and these callers are increadably hard to track down.

If your provider has a service like Telus' Call Control I highly recomend using it.

Call Control for mobile devices explained | TELUS Support

People calling you have to enter a number in order to get through to you. If they fail the test the call is declined before your phone even rings.

This stops 99% of any telemarketing and all robocalls. Most of the scams utalize a robocaller so it greatly reduces the chance of getting scammed.

 

[Winchester]

Scammers can sound like almost anybody these days. I like the idea of using a pass word with your friends and family, at least for a while. It never hurts to be too safe.

I got a phone call at work one day. Picked up the phone, said, "Good morning, this is Pam" and heard, "We know where your money is in your house." They hung up. I called Rick and left a message for him at work. Immediately went home. Everything was fine. But I was freaked out for quite a while.

 

[Gunther4ever]

Got a call from a 'supposed police department" maybe 10 years ago stating they had my son and that the bail would be $800.00 and that they take debit and credit cards - I said really? He said yes maam. I said charged with and which son I have 8 (total lie). He hung up.

 

[kashmir64]

got a phone call at work one day. Picked up the phone, said, "Good morning, this is Pam" and heard, "We know where your money is in your house."

My response would have been "Then would you tell me where...Please".