72-Year-Old Hyderabad Woman Falls Victim to AI Voice Scam
A 72-year-old homemaker from Hyderabad lost ₹1.97 lakh in a cyber fraud case. Scammers tricked her using an AI-generated voice, making her believe she was speaking to a family member. The Hyderabad cybercrime police have started investigating the incident.
The woman received a WhatsApp message from what appeared to be her sister-in-law’s number in New Jersey, USA. The message urgently asked for money. To confirm, she called the number and heard a familiar voice say “yes.” Believing it was truly her sister-in-law, she transferred the money via Google Pay. Later, she realized she had been scammed.
Officials suspect that fraudsters used AI technology to mimic the sister-in-law’s voice, making the scam seem real. The police are now tracking the technology used and following the money trail to catch the criminals.
Due to the rise in such AI-related scams, Hyderabad police have issued a warning. They are advising people to be cautious of messages or calls asking for money, even if they seem to come from trusted contacts. To prevent fraud, they recommend verifying requests through video calls or other methods and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on WhatsApp for extra security.
As artificial intelligence is increasingly being misused for scams, authorities urge the public to stay alert. They encourage people to report any suspicious activity to the cybercrime department immediately.
