Artificial intelligence is making fraud more convincing than ever, and Smiths Falls police are warning residents that even a familiar voice on the phone might not be someone they know.
Community Service Officer Constable Sean Keogan says scammers are using technology to copy people’s voices from videos posted on social media. They then use those voices to impersonate loved ones, often claiming to be in trouble and urgently needing money.
Keogan says the technology is creating new challenges for people trying to protect themselves.
Keogan says seniors can be particularly vulnerable to scams involving someone pretending to be a grandchild in trouble.
The caller may insist the situation is an emergency and ask that parents or other relatives not be told.
Police recommend hanging up and contacting the family member directly using a number already known to be legitimate.
The same advice applies to suspicious calls claiming to come from banks, government agencies or other organizations.
Families can also establish a private code word to help verify whether an emergency call is genuine.
Keogan encourages residents to question unexpected requests for money, particularly when callers create a sense of urgency.
His message is to take the extra time to verify who’s calling before handing over personal information or hard-earned savings