What’s actually happening in 2026

Voice cloning means a computer program uses a recording of someone speaking—a birthday video on Facebook, a clip from a family gathering, even a voicemail greeting—to imitate that voice saying something new. A few seconds of audio can be enough. A familiar voice is no longer proof of who is calling.

Deepfakes are convincing fake or altered images, audio, or videos made with artificial intelligence. You might see a false video in an email, a text message, a social media post, an advertisement, or a video call. It might show someone pretending to be a relative, a bank employee, or a public figure endorsing a product or investment. You do not have to be on a video call to encounter one. See the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s examples of how these tools are used in fraud.

Scammers combine these tools with the oldest scripts in the book. The “grandparent scam”—“Grandma, I’m in trouble, don’t tell Mom, I need money right now”—is decades old. What’s new is that the voice on the line can sound like your grandchild, panic and all. Similar impersonation schemes involve people claiming to represent Medicare, the Social Security Administration, your bank’s fraud department, or law enforcement. Romantic interests who exist only on a screen can be part of the deception, too.

Many people never report a scam. And a convincing voice or face can fool a careful person. That is not a failing—it is what the deception is designed to do. Our protection needs to go beyond what our ears and eyes tell us.

Why this lands especially hard on people our age

Not because we are gullible. Because we are reachable, and because the scam is engineered to hit us where we are strongest: we love our families, we answer our phones, and we act when someone we love needs help. Emotional urgency is designed to override the careful judgment you have used your whole life. The raw material—our voices, our loved ones’ faces—is often sitting in public on social media, posted innocently over the years.

One more honest point: good grammar and natural-sounding speech do not prove that a caller is genuine. The name and number your phone displays—its caller identification, or caller ID—can be faked. That is called spoofing. Even a familiar-looking number is a reason to check independently.

They’re counting on you to panic. We’re not going to give them that.

The method: PAUSE · VERIFY · PROTECT · REPORT

You may know this method from our Stay Safe page. Here is how it works against these scams.

PAUSE

Urgency is still a major red flag. An unexpected call, message, or video demanding money, gift cards, account numbers, or secrecy is a reason to stop and check. You are allowed to hang up. It is not rude. Say, “I’ll call you right back,” and end the call.

If you believe someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services yourself at 911. Do not let a caller’s demand for payment decide what you do next.

VERIFY

Call the person on the number you already have for them. Do not press redial or use a number the caller gives you. Caller identification can be faked. If you cannot reach the person, call another family member or trusted friend who would know.

Set up a family code word: a private word or phrase you agree on ahead of time. Choose something that has never been posted online—not a pet’s name, street, birthday, or favorite team. Agree on it privately, such as in person or during a call you initiated to a known number. Keep it out of social media and group texts, and change it if you suspect it has been exposed.

Ask for the word; do not give it first. Even a correct answer is not a substitute for calling back on a trusted number before sending money. A secret can be discovered or shared. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recommends a family word or phrase.

PROTECT

Never move money, read out a security code, share account details, buy gift cards, or install anything during an unexpected call—no matter how familiar the voice.

Give the caller nothing about you. Do not provide or confirm your birth date, last name, street address, Medicare number, Social Security number, or other personal details. Protect your spouse’s or partner’s information, too. A caller may already know something; that does not make the call legitimate.

An unexpected caller demanding a wire transfer, cryptocurrency (digital money such as Bitcoin), gift card payment, or cash collected at your door is giving you a strong scam warning. Do not pay while you are being pressured.

Quietly raise the drawbridge: limit who can see family videos and voice recordings on social media. Privacy settings can reduce exposure, though they cannot guarantee that a recording stays private.

REPORT

If money was sent, contact your bank or the company you used to pay immediately. Use a number from your bank card, account statement, or the company’s official app or website. Tell them it was a scam and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed. Keep receipts and messages. Read the Federal Trade Commission’s steps for different payment methods.

Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. You can report an attempted scam even if you did not lose money. Reporting is not admitting anything. It helps investigators see the pattern.

If an older adult is being pressured or financially exploited, Adult Protective Services may also be able to help. Our steps to take if something already happened can help you find your next move. Speed matters, and shame has no place in it.

A family conversation worth having this week

The strongest defense is a short agreement with the people you love. Over dinner or a call to a number you already know, settle these things together:

  1. Our family code word is ____________. We will ask for it without giving it away first. Asking is never rude.
  2. None of us will ask another family member for money without expecting a call-back on a known number. None of us will be offended by the call-back or by a hang-up.
  3. If any of us gets a strange “family emergency” call or video, we will check with the person directly on a number we already have. A code word is an extra check; it does not replace that call-back.
  4. We will limit who can see family videos and voice clips on social media.

That’s the whole meeting. It costs nothing, and it gives everyone a plan before a frightening call arrives. Print two copies of your agreement—one for you, one for a family member—and put them where you can find them quickly. It belongs on the refrigerator, where wisdom lives.

Other common scams that may use artificial intelligence

  • Government or law-enforcement impersonation: jury duty, arrest warrants, or supposed Social Security problems followed by a demand for immediate payment.
  • Romance scams: a false relationship supported by generated messages, photos, or deepfake videos.
  • Fake bank or Medicare calls: requests to “verify” private details or move money into a supposed “safe” account.
  • Tech-support scams: claims that your computer is infected, followed by demands for payment or access that lets a stranger operate it.

Watch for the pattern: urgency, secrecy, and a request for money or access. Slow down. Read the Federal Trade Commission’s advice on fake family emergencies.

Gay’s Takeaway

“You don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to become a technology expert. You just have to stay calm and verify. Slowing down was good judgment when we signed contracts, and it’s good judgment now.” — Gay

Try this today

Print the Family Safe Word Plan—a one-page agreement with space for your family’s code word and trusted numbers. Print two copies: one for you, one for a family member. It belongs on the refrigerator, where wisdom lives.

Loss figures checked against the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2025 Internet Crime Report, published in 2026. Figures describe complaints reported to that agency; other surveys and reporting systems may measure different populations or losses.