AI Without Fear by Pedro Bray: a phone showing an incoming call from a grandson asking for money, with the warning 'Is it really him?'

"Grandma, It's Me": How to Protect Your Parents from AI Voice-Cloning Scams

In short

  • AI can copy a person's voice from a short recording, such as a video posted online.
  • Scammers use cloned voices to call older relatives, pretend to be a grandchild in trouble and ask for money urgently.
  • Two habits stop most of these calls: a family safe word and the rule hang up and call back on a number you already have.
  • Set them up this week, in person, with your parents or grandparents.

It's Sunday afternoon and the phone rings. On the other end is your son's voice, nervous, almost crying: "Mom, it's me. I'm in trouble. I need money right now, please don't tell Dad." It's his voice. It's the way he talks. And her heart starts racing.

But it might not be him.

I wrote my new book, AI Without Fear, because this call is no longer science fiction. This article covers the part every family should know now, whether or not your parents ever use AI themselves.

How the AI "grandparent scam" works

The old version of this scam relied on a bad phone line and a panicked grandparent. The new version uses artificial intelligence to copy a real voice. According to the National Council on Aging, AI can now clone a person's voice from just a short audio sample, and scammers can use real-time voice tools or caller-ID spoofing so the call seems to come from a familiar number (NCOA).

The losses are real. In 2025, people aged 60 and older in the United States lost $7.7 billion to online fraud, a 37% rise on the year before, and the FBI received more than 22,000 complaints that mentioned AI (Bitdefender, on the FBI's 2025 report).

Falling for one of these calls is not a sign of low intelligence. They are run by professionals who know exactly how to make someone anxious and rushed. That's why the best defence isn't "being smart". It's having a plan agreed in advance.

The warning signs

The rule to remember: the bigger the rush, the bigger the chance it's a scam. Be suspicious when a call or message:

  • asks for money or information urgently ("it has to be now");
  • asks for secrecy ("don't tell anyone");
  • asks for payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a payment app to someone you don't know;
  • comes from a "new number" or shows a familiar number with a strange story;
  • feels slightly off: an odd pause, a repeated phrase, a voice that doesn't quite react to questions.

Habit 1: the family safe word

Agree on a word or short phrase that only your family knows: the name of the first family dog, a dish Grandma used to make, an old inside joke. When someone calls asking for money on behalf of the family, the answer is a calm question: "What's our word?" A scammer can copy a voice. They can't guess the word. The NCOA recommends exactly this practice.

  • Choose it in person or on a call, never by text or email.
  • Avoid anything visible on social media or in photos.
  • Change it if you think someone outside the family has learned it.

Habit 2: hang up and call back

If a call asks for money, hang up. It isn't rude; it's protection. Then call the person on the number you already have saved, never on a number the caller gives you. If they don't answer, call another family member. A real emergency can survive ten minutes of checking. A scam can't.

The same goes for banks. A real bank will never ask for a password or a verification code, send someone to collect a card, or ask you to move money to a "safe account". Hang up and call the number on the back of the card.

A gift that protects. AI Without Fear is a large-print, step-by-step guide for people over 60: how to use AI with confidence, and how to spot cloned voices, fake videos and scam messages. It includes a 30-day plan, 50 ready-made questions and a "Before you send money" card to keep by the phone.

What to do if it has already happened

  1. Call the bank or card company immediately on its official number. Ask them to stop or dispute the payment and secure the accounts.
  2. If a gift card was used, call the company that issued it straight away and keep the card and receipt.
  3. Change passwords for any account whose details were shared.
  4. Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov. In the US, the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), helps older adults and families with next steps.
  5. Tell the rest of the family, without blame, so no one else falls for the same call.

Set it up this week

  • Visit or call your parents and choose a safe word together.
  • Save the real numbers of children, grandchildren and the bank in their phone.
  • Say it out loud: "If anyone ever asks you for money, call me first. I'll never mind."

Ten minutes now can save a great deal of money and heartache later. For the wider picture of how AI is changing work and daily life, see Will AI Take My Job?

Sources: National Council on Aging, What are AI scams?; Bitdefender, on the FBI Internet Crime Report 2025. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.

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