An East Bay mother recently answered a call from an unknown number, which turned out to be scammers using AI and deepfake technology to sound like her daughter, whom they said had been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel — part of a growing trend of scams.
As ABC 7 reports, Deborah Del Mastro, of Martinez, received a call in May from a man claiming her 37-year-old daughter had been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel after witnessing illegal activity. The caller then played what Del Mastro believed was her daughter screaming, crying, and pleading for help.
Del Mastro said the scammers kept her on the phone for roughly five hours while issuing rapid instructions and warnings not to speak to anyone else. During that time, she reportedly wired about $5,400 from multiple locations before being told her daughter would be released at a grocery store.
When Del Mastro arrived and couldn’t find her, she called her daughter directly and learned she had been at work the entire time, per ABC 7.
Authorities and anti-fraud advocates say scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to clone voices using short audio clips pulled from social media, videos, or phone calls.
Erin West of Operation Shamrock tells the outlet that the rise in AI voice-cloning scams signals what she calls a growing “scamdemic,” warning that the technology is becoming more convincing and more widespread. She advises people to be wary of urgent situations involving demands for money, particularly when callers pressure victims to act immediately or avoid contacting others.
According to ABC 7, West also recommends that families create a private code word to help verify identities during emergencies.
Following the scam, Del Mastro says her family now shares phone locations and avoids answering calls from unknown numbers. The case is still under investigation, but Del Mastro told the outlet she doesn’t expect to see her money again.
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