AI voice cloning is now being used in virtual kidnapping scams

In May 2026, California resident Deborah Del Mastro was targeted by a sophisticated virtual kidnapping scam that utilized AI voice cloning to simulate her daughter's voice. The incident highlights a growing trend of criminals leveraging synthesized audio to manufacture high-pressure scenarios that exploit parental fear and urgency.

What happened

The incident began on a morning in May when Del Mastro received a phone call from an unknown number. The caller claimed that her 37-year-old daughter, Sarah, had been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. To increase the credibility of the threat, the caller played audio of what sounded exactly like her daughter in a state of panic, pleading for help.

Following the audio, the perpetrator kept Del Mastro on the phone for five hours, issuing a series of urgent, controlling commands to ensure she did not seek assistance or verify the situation. Under this extreme duress, Del Mastro wired $5,400 to Mexico from multiple locations. The scam concluded when she arrived at a designated grocery store where she was told her daughter would be released; when she could not find her, she called her daughter directly and confirmed she was safely at work.

Authorities, including Erin West with Operation Shamrock, have identified this as part of a broader "scamdemic" where attackers use as little as a few seconds of audio pulled from social media or other public sources to clone a voice. Experts advise that any urgent request for money that triggers high anxiety should be treated as a red flag. To combat these threats, security officials recommend establishing a secret family code word, avoiding calls from unknown numbers, and utilizing real-time location sharing to verify the safety of loved ones.