Bay Area mom out thousands after scammers use AI to mimic daughter’s voice in fake kidnapping; part of growing trend
Publish Date: 2026-05-24 16:52:00
Source Domain: abc7news.com
- Deborah Del Mastro was scammed out of $5,400 after scammers used AI to mimic her daughter’s voice.
- The scammers claimed her daughter was kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel, manipulating her fear to make her transfer money.
- They provided a “proof” of her daughter’s voice, adding a panicked layer to their deceitful calls.
- Del Mastro followed the scammer’s instructions for hours before realizing it was a scam.
- Erin West from Operation Shamrock explains the increasing use of AI and deepfake technology in escalating fraud.
- West warns the public about the urgency and manipulation tactics used to trigger immediate money transfers.
- She suggests using a secret code word known only to family to verify genuine claims.
- Del Mastro advises caution against random numbers and recommends sharing real-time locations with family as preventive measures.
