Robocalls with synthetic voices: a growing threat to cybersecurity

The use of artificial voices generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in robocalls represents a new and worrying frontier in the landscape of online scams.

How do they work?

Malicious actors exploit AI technology to replicate the voices of celebrities, politicians, or even family members, in order to trick victims into providing sensitive data, such as banking credentials or personal information, or into transferring money to fraudulent accounts.

What are the risks?

In addition to the theft of data and money, robocalls with synthetic voices can be used to spread fake news or misinformation, with serious repercussions on the political and social spheres.

How to protect yourself?

• Mistrust: Pay close attention to requests for money, sensitive data, or personal information, especially if they come from unknown or suspicious numbers.
• Number verification: Do not answer unrecognized numbers or those flagged as spam.
• Caller ID apps: Use applications that allow you to identify robocalls and scammer numbers.
• Awareness: Inform friends and family about these types of scams to increase collective awareness.

Regulatory actions:

• AI Act: At the European level, the AI Act is being developed—a regulation aimed at governing the use of artificial intelligence, including potential measures against its misuse in robocalls.
• National legislation: It is desirable for individual states to implement specific rules to combat the use of synthetic voices in automated calls, banning the practice and penalizing violators.

The adoption of preventive measures by users, together with an adequate regulatory framework at both national and international levels, represents the key to effectively combating the growing threat of robocalls with synthetic voices and protecting the cybersecurity of citizens.

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