Artificial intelligence has become a double-edged sword. While it simplifies everyday tasks, it has also been adopted by cybercriminals to refine their scams. In recent months, fraudulent calls using cloned voices and impersonation of authorities have skyrocketed in Spain and Europe, affecting thousands of people.
Scammers are no longer limited to suspicious emails. Now they use AI-generated voice technology and spoofing techniques to make phone numbers appear to belong to a police station or bank. Urgency and fear are their main weapons to trick victims into transferring money or revealing personal information without thinking.
How do AI scammers operate?
The most common modus operandi begins with a call in which the criminal impersonates a police officer, a bank employee, or even a family member. Thanks to artificial intelligence, they can clone the voice of a known person or simulate the official tone of an institution. Furthermore, they manipulate the caller ID to display a real number, creating a false sense of security.
Once the victim trusts the scammer, they are informed of a supposed problem: a phone line linked to a crime, a compromised bank account, or a package being held. The conversation becomes increasingly tense and urgent , and the person is asked to transfer funds to a "secure" account or provide verification codes. In many cases, the scammers also impersonate organizations such as the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) or provincial prosecutor's offices.
These networks operate from call centers in Southeast Asia, where workers, sometimes in conditions of near-slavery, carry out millions of fraud attempts each year. AI-powered scams have become a multi-billion dollar global business , and while initially targeting Chinese citizens, they have now expanded to countries such as Spain, Australia, Brazil, and Singapore.
Artificial intelligence impersonation techniques
Voice cloning is one of the most widely used techniques. With just a few seconds of audio, artificial intelligence can replicate a person's voice with astonishing realism. Scammers obtain these samples from social media, past calls, or even voicemails . They then use them to call family or friends, impersonating them and asking for urgent money.
Another method is vishing, which combines phone calls with social engineering. The criminal poses as a support technician, travel agent, or bank employee, using a professional tone and partially accurate information to gain credibility . Sometimes, they even pretend to be from the platform's own anti-fraud department, causing the victim to lower their guard.
The use of deepfakes has also been detected in video calls, where scammers display an AI-generated face to impersonate an authority figure. Although this technique is less common, it is on the rise and poses an additional challenge to identity verification.
Tips to avoid falling into the trap
Experts agree that prevention is the best defense. When faced with any suspicious call, the first thing to do is remain calm and not act impulsively . If someone identifies themselves as a family member or friend asking for money, hang up and call that person directly through another means to verify.
Never share personal information, passwords, or verification codes over the phone, even if the caller seems legitimate. Banks and government agencies never request sensitive data over the phone . If they ask you to make a transfer to a "secure" account, it's almost certainly a scam.
Activate multi-factor authentication on your bank and email accounts. Regularly review your account activity and set up alerts for each transaction . Also, be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, extremely low prices, or messages urging you to leave the official platform to complete a purchase or reservation, as these could indicate a fraudulent online store.
If you've been the victim of a scam, don't hesitate to report it. The sooner you act, the better your chances of recovering your money or preventing further damage . Contact your bank, change any compromised passwords, and file a report with the National Police or the Civil Guard.
Artificial intelligence has given cybercriminals increasingly sophisticated tools to deceive people. Calls with cloned voices, impersonation of authorities, and fabricated urgency are the most common red flags . Keeping a cool head, always verifying the identity of the person you're speaking with, and not sharing sensitive information are key to avoiding these traps. In a digital environment where fraud is constantly evolving, information and caution remain the best defenses.
