How criminals are using AI to clone victims’ voices and set up direct debits

Victims often did not realise payments were being taken, National Trading Standards warned

Criminals are using artificial intelligence to clone voices and set up fraudulent direct debits via phone, National Trading Standards (NTS) has warned.

NTS confirmed this "advanced" voice cloning is part of an organised criminal operation, seemingly targeting older people.

The scam begins with fraudsters luring victims into a "lifestyle survey" phone call, designed to extract personal, health, and financial details.

This information is then used to create AI-generated voice clones, simulating consent for direct debits.

These clones facilitate payments with banks and other legitimate financial providers without the victim’s knowledge, NTS added.

Victims often did not realise payments were being taken, it warned.

NTS said it blocked almost 21 million scam phone calls and shut down 2,000 numbers in a six-month period (PA Wire)

Latest figures from NTS suggests that UK adults now receive an average of seven scam calls or texts per month, with about one in five (21 per cent) receiving them most days and 9 per cent receiving them every day.

NTS said it blocked almost 21 million scam phone calls and shut down 2,000 numbers in a six-month period.

Louise Baxter, head of the NTS scams team, said: “What we’re seeing is a deeply disturbing combination of old and new: traditional phone scams supported by disturbing new techniques.

“Criminals are using AI not just to deceive victims, but to trick legitimate systems into processing fraudulent payments.

“This is no longer just a nuisance – it’s a co-ordinated, sophisticated operation targeting some of the most situationally vulnerable consumers in society.

“We urge everyone to speak to friends and relatives about scam calls, check bank statements regularly and report anything suspicious.”

John Herriman, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), said: “This alarming new twist in phone-based fraud shows just how quickly criminals are exploiting emerging technologies to prey on the public.

“Voice cloning takes scam calls to a sinister new level, making it even harder for legitimate businesses and consumers to distinguish real interactions from fraudulent ones.

“Trading Standards teams across the UK are working tirelessly to disrupt these operations but we need the public to stay alert, talk to loved ones about the risks and report anything suspicious.”