Brothers launch AI scam-protection app after mother…

A mother was targeted by a sophisticated AI voice-cloning scam involving a fake kidnapping threat that appeared to come from her daughter. This incident, which occurred over two years ago, served as the catalyst for brothers Patrick and Ryan Coughlin to transition from their backgrounds in enterprise cybersecurity and consumer AI to found the startup Savi Security.

What happened

The scammers utilized two primary techniques to orchestrate the deception: AI-driven voice cloning and caller ID spoofing. Patrick Coughlin’s mother received a call that displayed his sister Courtney’s phone number. Upon answering, she heard a voice that sounded identical to her daughter’s, pleading, "Mom, I need help. Please do what they say." A man then took over the call, claiming to be holding the daughter captive at a Walmart in Olathe, Kansas, and demanded an immediate PayPal transfer under threat of violence.

Although the daughter was not in danger and the entire scenario was fabricated, the emotional impact on the victim was severe. The scammers relied on the urgency of the situation to bypass critical thinking. This incident mirrors other high-profile AI kidnapping scams, such as the 2023 case involving Jennifer DeSefano. Following their family’s experience, the Coughlin brothers developed the Savi app, which includes features like real-time call monitoring to detect scam patterns and help users identify fraudulent attempts as they occur.