Fake Voices. Fake Faces. Real Consequences
by Twlia Laster, Project Director at The SOL Project
Artificial intelligence is changing how we work and communicate, but it is also changing how scammers target people. Today’s scams can fake faces, clone voices, and impersonate trusted family members, supervisors, and co-workers with alarming accuracy.
They can fake a face. They can clone a voice. Don’t fall for AI scams.
AI-powered scams are becoming more personal, convincing, and difficult to detect. Across the country, individuals and organizations are reporting fraudulent emails, fake emergency calls, deepfake video meetings, and text messages designed to steal money, passwords, or sensitive information.
Recently, SOL Project identified suspicious emails that appeared to come from trusted contacts. Fortunately, the messages were recognized and verified before any action was taken. Incidents like this highlight how sophisticated AI-enabled scams have become and why it is important to verify unexpected requests before responding. These types of scams are becoming increasingly common across nonprofits, businesses, and public health organizations.
The FBI reports billions were lost to cybercrime in 2025, including AI-enabled scams involving impersonation and voice cloning. (fbi.gov)
How to Protect Yourself
- Slow down when requests involve urgency, money, passwords, or confidential information.
- Verify requests through a second trusted method, such as calling the person directly from a number used prior.
- Watch for unusual email addresses, strange wording, or communication styles that feel “off.”
- Avoid clicking suspicious links, QR codes, or attachments.
- Use multi-factor authentication on personal and professional accounts.
If You Suspect a Scam
- Stop communication immediately.
- Do not send money or personal information.
- Notify your supervisor, IT team, or financial institution.
- Change passwords if accounts may be compromised.
- Report scams to the FBI IC3 and the FTC.
AI scams affect us all. The best defense is staying informed, slowing down, and verifying before responding. A few extra moments of caution can help protect your personal information, workplace, finances, and community.
