AI Scam Calls: What the FTC Says and What to Do
A robocall with a voice that sounds real can still be a scam. Here is what the FTC says about AI scam calls and how to handle one.
The phone rings. The voice on the other end sounds like a real person. Maybe it even sounds like someone you know. But something feels off. Wondering if that call was an AI scam call? Here is what the FTC says about them, and what to do when one reaches you.
What an AI scam call actually is
Start with the word robocall. The FTC says a robocall is a call where you hear a recorded message instead of a live person. That covers the obvious ones, like a robot voice reading a sales pitch.
The FTC says scammers can use artificial intelligence voice cloning to sound like someone you know. The result is a caller who sounds like your grandchild, your boss, or an old friend.
So an AI scam call is a robocall or scam call that uses these tools. The voice is fake. The goal is the same as any scam call: to get your money or your personal details.
Why scammers use robocalls and AI voices
The FTC says scammers make robocalls because it is cheap and easy to make them over the internet from anywhere in the world.
AI voices make the trick work better.
For more on why the calls keep coming, see why do I get so many scam calls.
Which robocalls are illegal and which are not
Not every robocall breaks the law. The FTC says a robocall trying to sell you something is illegal unless the company got your written permission to call you that way. That permission has rules around it too. The FTC says a company has to be clear it is asking to call you with robocalls to get your permission. And the FTC says a company can't make you agree to robocalls to get a product or service.
Some robocalls are allowed. The FTC says messages that are purely informational, or calls to collect a debt, are not illegal.
Others are always off limits. The FTC says robocalls that try to sell you services to lower your debt are illegal and are almost always scams. The FTC's advice says if someone is robocalling you without permission, there's a good chance it's a scam.
Common AI scam call stories and warning signs
The FTC says scammers use robocalls to pose as government agencies, with stories about your Social Security number, taxes, or Medicare.
The FTC says many people report getting robocalls about extended car warranties, debt relief, or credit repair. If your call fits one of those molds, treat it with doubt.
One warning sign to watch for:
- The caller insists on one odd way to pay.
The FTC says scammers often insist you can only pay in ways that make it tough to get your money back. The FTC says scammers may ask you to wire money through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram. A demand for a wire transfer is a red flag on any call.
What to do while the call is happening
The FTC's advice is short: if you get an illegal robocall, hang up and don't call back.
Do not press any buttons either. The FTC says don't press a number after an illegal robocall, which could lead to more robocalls. The FTC says pressing numbers to speak to someone or remove you from the list will probably only lead to more robocalls.
How to get fewer of these calls
You cannot stop every call, but you can thin them out. The FTC says call-blocking and call-labeling services can help you get fewer robocalls. The FTC says call blocking can help reduce the number of unwanted calls you get.
It is not a perfect wall. The FTC's advice says call blocking can help stop robocalls from scammers, but some robocalls might still get through. And the FTC says not all scam calls will get flagged by caller ID. A call that looks clean on your screen can still be a scam.
For step by step instructions, see how to block scam phone calls.
How to report an AI scam call
Reporting does do something. The FTC says reporting the information helps it track down the scammers behind the call.
The FTC says to report the number on your caller ID even if you think it is fake. The FTC's page says to also report the exact date and time of the call if you know it.
The FTC says to report a scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. The FTC says your state also might have other rules for robocalls.
If the call sounded like someone you know
This is the hardest kind to shake. The FTC says family emergency scammers call pretending to be a family member or close friend who needs money wired right away.
Before you send anything, slow down. The FTC says a trusted person can help you figure out whether the story is true. Call the family member on their own number. Ask a question only the real person would know. Reach someone else in the family and check the story.
And if the caller says your money is in danger and must be moved to keep it safe, stop there. The FTC says never move your money to protect it, because that is a scam.