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The FBI says scammers are now using artificial intelligence to impersonate senior U.S. officials
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The scam relies on AI-generated voice and text messages, also known as vishing and smishing, to target government officials and their contacts
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The messages often claim to come from high-ranking government figures with the goal to build trust
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then move the conversation to another platform, where the victim might be tricked into clicking a link or sharing sensitive information
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Once attackers access one account, they can use a victim's contact list to impersonate others
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further widening the scheme. These impersonations are getting harder to spot. AI-generated audio has become so advanced that voice clones can sound nearly identical to the real thing
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All it takes is a few seconds of recorded audio to build a convincing fake
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And the tech behind it is booming. One recent report says the global AI voice market hit $5.4 billion last year and could reach nearly $9 billion by 2026
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The FBI is urging caution. If you receive an unexpected message, especially from a new number or platform
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the Bureau recommends verifying the sender's identity through a trusted source. Look closely at phone numbers, spelling errors, and voice tone
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If anything seems off, don't respond. And if you're ever unsure, contact your local FBI field office
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That info is on our website, san.com. For more of our unbiased straight fact reporting, download the Shader News app today
