Jennifer DeStefano’s phone rang one afternoon as she exited her car outside her younger daughter Aubrey’s dance studio. The caller ID read “unknown,” and she hesitated to answer. But with her older daughter, 15-year-old Brianna, away at a ski race, she worried it might be an emergency.
“Hello?” she said on speakerphone, locking her car and carrying her belongings into the studio. She was met with cries and screams.
“Mom! I messed up!” a girl’s voice wailed.
“What happened?!?” DeStefano asked, panic rising as the voice resembled Brianna’s. Suddenly, a man’s voice demanded she lay down. Fearing a skiing accident, DeStefano’s heart raced.
The man then claimed he had kidnapped Brianna, threatening harm and demanding silence from DeStefano. She rushed into the studio, shaking and seeking help, feeling overwhelmed by fear.
A chaotic sequence followed, including a $1 million ransom demand and a frantic attempt to contact Brianna. Eventually, the “kidnapping” was revealed as a scam when a confused Brianna called, assuring her mother she was fine.
Despite the ordeal, DeStefano, an Arizona resident, couldn’t shake the memory of the familiar voice that had fooled her. The incident on January 20, around 4:55 p.m., made her a victim of a virtual kidnapping scam, a growing threat in the U.S., where families lose an average of $11,000 per scam. In 2021, Americans lost $2.6 billion to imposter scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
During the 911 call, another mother at the studio relayed the situation, but the dispatcher recognized it as a common scam. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has made these scams more believable, with voice cloning technology allowing scammers to mimic loved ones’ voices convincingly.
DeStefano had never heard of virtual kidnapping before that day. She suspects scammers cloned Brianna’s voice, possibly from her social media accounts. The ordeal was intensified by the convincing sound of her daughter’s voice, which matched Brianna’s usual calm demeanor even in distress.
In the studio, DeStefano negotiated the ransom down and instructed Aubrey to call Brianna or her father. Aubrey, only 13, was traumatized by the violent threats she heard. Most virtual kidnapping calls originate from Mexico, targeting the southwestern U.S., according to the FBI. The agency emphasizes that being informed can easily thwart these crimes.
AI expert Hany Farid warns that AI software is advancing rapidly, making voice cloning more accessible and less reliant on extensive audio samples. While current AI may not fully replicate a wide range of emotions, the possibility of cloning screaming or sobbing voices is not far-fetched.
Back at the studio, the ransom was eventually lowered to $50,000. DeStefano struggled to accept the call as a scam, convinced by the authenticity of her daughter’s voice. The caller then proposed a dangerous plan for the ransom exchange, but DeStefano stalled for time. Finally, Brianna called, confirming her safety and ending the nightmare. Enraged, DeStefano confronted the scammer before hanging up and canceling the police response.