ASKING the right questions can help protect you from sinister artificial intelligence voice-cloning scams.

It's a nefarious con that uses AI to replicate the voices of your friends, family members, or colleagues.

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AI can now clone a voice after hearing it for just a few seconds.

And cybersecurity experts have warned that criminals are using this to trick unsuspecting victims into handing over cash – by making "urgent" requests while posing as people you know.

If a loved one seems panicked on the phone, it can be tempting to help them no matter what.

But speaking to The U.S Sun, cybersecurity expert Curtis Wilson revealed it's important to ask the right question first.

"Being aware of the possibility is half the battle. Pay attention to what they are saying and try asking for details," said Curtis of the Synopsys Software Integrity Group.

"If your child says they are with a friend, ask which friend. If a colleague talks about ‘the big project,’ get them to confirm the client, etc.

"Usually, these scammers will be calling from unknown numbers and claiming they lost their phone.

"So try calling the correct number or contacting them in a different way to confirm."

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STAY CALM

Any time someone calls you with an urgent request, it can be worrying.

This is especially true if a loved one is claiming to be in a crisis – or your boss is ringing you with a serious demand.

But the important thing is to not rush into any decision.

Take the time to verify any requests for money, even if they seem to be coming from someone who you know and trust.

"The first and most important thing to do is not to panic," cybersecurity expert Simon Newman told The U.S. Sun.

Phone scam statistics

Americans are bombarded with three billion spam phone calls a month. What are the figures regarding the number of victims and the amount of money lost to fraudsters

• In 2022, Americans lost some $39.5 billion to phone scams, with 68.4 million US citizens affected, according to TechReport.
• The average phone scam victim lost $567.41 each in 2021, a major rise on the 2021 figure of $182 per victim, according to Hiya.
• The majority of scams happen over the phone, with fraudsters twice as likely to call compared to text in 2021, as reports the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
• In 2021, the US saw a 56% increase in spam phone calls with 60% of those being robocalls.
• US residents experienced an average of 18 spam phone calls per month, although some experts believe the true figure may be as high as 31 per month.
• Many phone calls from reputable businesses may be marked wrongly as spam, but 38% of companies have no idea whether they’re being marked as “potential fraud” or not, according to Hiya.
• Never hand over any personal or financial information if you suspect a phone call is a scam. For instance, your bank will never ask you for such details in full over the phone. 
• To cut down on spam phone calls and scams, sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers, by law, will need to check that list before they call you up.
• Downloading third-party apps such as Hiya, Nomorobo, or Truecaller can help filter out annoying spam calls.
• Try not to share your phone number unless you have to, especially online or with sketchy sources.

"Cyber criminals are very good at getting victims to act quickly and often use situations where there is an imminent risk of harm," continued Simon, chief of the Cyber Resilience Centre for London and International Cyber Expo Advisory Council Member.

"Such as the person being kidnapped or urgently needing money to get them out of trouble.

"Try and verify the identity of the person calling you by asking lots of very specific questions that only the real person would know.

"You may also want to try and contact the person on the number that they normally use."

Adopting a cautious approach is still the best strategy.

Simon NewmanCEO at the Cyber Resilience Centre for London

There's also a way of setting yourself up to be protected from this type of scam ahead of time.

It's worth sitting down with your closest friends, family members, and important colleagues to arrange a "safe word."

"Another thing you can do with close friends and family is to choose a ‘safe word,'" Simon told us.

"If the person on the other end of the line doesn’t respond with the correct answer, the chances are you’re speaking to an AI fake.

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"The cybersecurity industry is working hard to make it easier to identify and block deepfakes, but adopting a cautious approach is still the best strategy."

Also, be cautious if the caller is asking for money via a strange method like cryptocurrency or gift cards – this is a major red flag that you're being scammed.