Mom out thousands after scammers use AI to mimic daughter's voice in fake kidnapping

A Martinez, California, woman lost $5,400 in May after scammers used artificial intelligence to clone her daughter’s voice in a fake kidnapping scam. Deborah Del Mastro received a call from an unknown number, where a male voice claimed her 37-year-old daughter, Sarah, had been abducted by a Mexican drug cartel. The caller played a recording of what sounded like Sarah’s voice in distress, saying, 'I love you, Mom, I’m so sorry, I’m so scared,' before cutting off the call. Del Mastro followed the caller’s instructions for five hours, wiring money from multiple locations before meeting the scammers at a grocery store—only to find her daughter safe at work. She later confirmed the ordeal was a scam after calling Sarah directly. Martinez police are investigating, but Del Mastro said she expects no recovery of the funds. Erin West of Operation Shamrock warned that AI voice cloning is becoming a widespread fraud tactic, with scammers using social media or phone call audio to replicate voices convincingly. She described the trend as a 'scamdemic,' emphasizing that AI and deepfake technology will make such scams more prevalent. West advised the public to use family-specific code words to verify identities and avoid acting on urgent financial demands. Del Mastro now advises against answering unknown numbers and recommends families share real-time locations via phones. She hopes her experience will serve as a warning to others, urging them to question suspicious calls immediately. Authorities urge caution, noting that AI-driven scams exploit panic and urgency to manipulate victims.