Imagine receiving a call from your child, their voice filled with fear and panic, begging for help. Moments later, a menacing voice demands a large ransom. Unfortunately, this nightmare scenario is becoming a reality for many, including an Arizona mother in 2023. This distressing situation is part of a growing AI scam known as the ‘Little Mermaid’ scheme, where criminals clone voices to exploit loved ones.

Mukesh Choudhary, Co-founder and CTO of Finoit, explains how this scam works and shares essential tips to protect yourself.

How the Scam Works

Fraudsters target publicly available videos from social media accounts, extracting users’ voices using AI software. Mukesh explains, “The stolen voice is manipulated to create realistic audio that mimics the original user’s tone and speech patterns. AI technology can change pitch, tone, and cadence, making it almost identical to the victim’s voice.”

These AI-generated voices are then used to impersonate victims, often calling their loved ones with fake emergencies, demanding money, or extracting sensitive information.

“The biggest threat is how convincing these AI-generated voices can be,” Mukesh warns.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

To avoid falling victim to the Little Mermaid scam, consider these precautions:

• Limit Publicly Shared Videos: This scam thrives on audio found online. Adjust your social media privacy settings to limit who can access videos that include your voice.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your accounts. Even if scammers capture your voice, they will still need a code to access sensitive information.
• Educate Your Family and Friends: Let your loved ones know about the Little Mermaid scam and the potential dangers of voice cloning. Encourage them to be cautious with unexpected messages, even if the voice seems familiar.
• Verify Suspicious Messages: If you receive a distressing message asking for money or personal details, don’t react right away. Call the person directly to confirm their situation using a known phone number.
• Consider Using Voice Modification Apps: These apps can alter the pitch or cadence of your voice in online recordings, making it harder for scammers to replicate.

By staying alert and taking these steps, you can better protect your voice and your loved ones from AI scams. As Mukesh advises, “A little online security awareness can go a long way in safeguarding yourself and others.”

About Finoit
Finoit is a software development company specializing in building secure and scalable AI solutions for SaaS and software startups. With over 13 years of experience, Finoit has worked with more than 100 startups to create innovative software products.