Orlando woman reportedly targeted by AI voice-cloning scam
An Orlando woman, Bonnie, reportedly lost thousands of dollars in a scam where criminals used AI voice-cloning technology to impersonate her friend, Carl, claiming he was in jail after a car accident. The scammers, posing as Carl and a public defender, directed Bonnie to hand over cash to couriers who came to her home.
An Orlando woman, identified as Bonnie, reportedly fell victim to a sophisticated scam involving AI voice-cloning. She received a phone call from someone claiming to be her friend, Carl, who stated he was in jail after a drunk driving accident involving a pregnant woman. Bonnie reported that the voice sounded "exactly like him." Subsequently, a person identifying as a public defender, "Adam Wise," called to arrange for bail money. The scammers instructed Bonnie to place cash in an envelope with a case number and paperwork, which was then collected by couriers sent to her home. Bonnie reportedly handed over thousands of dollars before realizing it was a scam when she later contacted the real Carl, who was not in jail. The FBI has warned about similar "distress" or "grandparent-style" schemes where criminals use generative AI to clone voices and arrange for couriers to collect cash from victims.