In late March 2024, an elderly woman, Mrs. Zhang, from a residential area in Xiaogan City, received a phone call that left her in a panic. On the other end of the line was the voice of her “grandson,” Xiao Wan, urgently saying, “Grandma, please help me, I’ve caused trouble!” Mrs. Zhang, distressed, immediately inquired about the situation. Xiao Wan explained that he had broken a friend's phone, and after a conflict with the friend, he was required to pay 20,000 yuan in compensation, or the friend would report him to the police and have him jailed. Xiao Wan begged his grandmother to help, saying that he could not collect the money himself, and asked her to give the cash to a friend who would come to collect it.

Driven by anxiety and concern, Mrs. Zhang withdrew her 20,000 yuan in savings and handed it over to a man wearing a mask, as instructed. Afterward, Mrs. Zhang, still worried, called Xiao Wan to check if the issue had been resolved, only to be shocked when he expressed surprise and said that he had never been in any trouble and had not asked his grandmother for money. At that moment, Mrs. Zhang realized she had been scammed and immediately reported the incident to the police.

The police quickly retrieved surveillance footage and identified three suspects involved in the case. The investigation revealed that the core member of the fraud ring, Zhou, had used illegal communication software to contact the “boss” and directed Yuan A and Yuan B to carry out the scam. Zhou used AI technology to clone Xiao Wan’s voice and made phone calls to Mrs. Zhang to carry out the fraud. Meanwhile, Yuan B, pretending to be Xiao Wan’s friend, took the cash from Mrs. Zhang and quickly left the scene.

The prosecuting attorney explained that the criminals used AI technology to generate a voice almost identical to Xiao Wan's and used this voice remotely to communicate with Mrs. Zhang, making her trust that the person on the phone was truly her grandson. As a result, Mrs. Zhang was scammed out of her 20,000 yuan savings.

After a thorough investigation, the police confirmed the method of the crime and identified all the involved parties. Following court proceedings, the three suspects were found guilty of fraud and sentenced. Zhou was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 10,000 yuan, while Yuan A and Yuan B were sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined 5,000 yuan each.

AI Technology Becomes a New Tool for Crime

The criminals used AI voice-swapping technology to successfully mimic Mrs. Zhang's "grandson’s" voice, creating a phone call that was nearly impossible to distinguish as fake. As a result, even if one attempts to verify identity via phone or video calls, heightened vigilance is necessary when confronted with urgent requests for funds. When money transactions are involved, it is crucial to use multiple methods to confirm the other party's identity to avoid making a hasty decision and falling victim to fraud.

The Dingxiang Defense Cloud Business Security Intelligence Center advises the elderly to take the following preventive measures:

1. Video or Phone Redial: When receiving suspicious calls or video requests, stay calm and do not immediately respond to any demands. Hang up the phone citing poor signal and then call back using other known and secure contact methods to confirm whether the request came from a real family member.

2. Set up a Family Verification Mechanism: Pre-arrange a "safety word" or "challenge question" with your family that only you and your loved ones know. If you receive a suspicious call, ask the caller for the safety word. If the caller cannot provide the correct word or avoids the question, it is a clear sign of a scam. Hang up immediately and verify the identity through secure means.

3. Consult Trusted Family and Friends: In case of urgent requests for money, check with other family members or trusted individuals to verify the situation or see if they have received similar calls. Consulting someone you trust can help you assess the authenticity of the request and avoid being pressured into making a rash decision.

4. Report to the Police: Call the local police at 110 to report the details of the scam.

These precautionary measures not only help individuals defend against AI scams but also remind everyone to remain calm and alert when faced with sudden requests for money, preventing falling into the traps set by criminals.