Happy Friday! 👋 Dr. Kelly here. Phone Scams.
Many of us are hearing about a new scam that is spreading quickly across the country, and I wanted to share this information with you as a public service reminder to stay alert and protect your family.
I recently had a patient come in and tell us that he had a call from an AI voice sounding exactly like his son!!!
Scammers are now using artificial intelligence to clone voices. This means they can make a phone call that sounds exactly like a loved one — a child, grandchild, spouse, or friend. 😩
In these scams, a person may receive a call that sounds like their loved one saying something urgent such as:
“I’ve been in an accident.”
“I’m in jail and need help.”
“I’ve been kidnapped.”
The voice may sound emotional, panicked, or even crying. The caller then asks you to send money immediately, often through wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
The scammers even knew personal information about his son. It is so scary. 😢
What makes this scam particularly concerning is that scammers can create these voice copies using only a few seconds of audio from social media videos, voicemail greetings, or online recordings.
Even if the voice sounds real, it may not actually be your loved one.
Here are a few simple ways to protect yourself and your family: ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
1. Pause before reacting.
Scammers rely on fear and urgency so you don’t have time to think.
2. Hang up and call the person directly.
Use the phone number you already have saved for them.
3. Never send money immediately.
Especially if someone asks for gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
4. Consider creating a family “code word.”
Many families now use a private word or question that only family members would know in case of an emergency.
Keep in mind that the call can even look like it is using your loved one’s cell phone number.
A simple rule to share with your family is: ✅
“If you ever receive a call asking for urgent money, hang up and call me back directly.”
Unfortunately, scams continue to evolve, and technology is making them more sophisticated. The best defense is awareness and a moment of caution before reacting.
I wanted to pass this information along because our community looks out for one another, and sometimes the most important thing we can do is help keep each other informed and safe.
If you have parents, grandparents, or older relatives, it may be helpful to share this message with them as well. 💕
You even must be careful on the internet.
My husband was looking up a contact number for Sirus XM radio. He clicked on and called a link that was a scammer.
We actually paid the scammer for Sirus XM radio!! 😭
The scammers can be so good and quick, you don’t know it has happened until it is too late.
Stay safe and take care.
Yours in Health Naturally,