Cybercriminals Use AI to Imitate CEO’s Voice in Major Scam

An unusual case of fraud was reported in the UK, where cybercriminals used artificial intelligence to fake the voice of a company’s CEO and trick an employee into transferring $230,000. The incident took place in March.

According to The Wall Street Journal, a senior employee at a British energy company believed he was speaking with his boss—the CEO of the company’s German parent firm. The caller, posing as the CEO, requested an urgent transfer of funds to a Hungarian supplier, stressing that the situation was critical and required immediate action.

The British manager was given just one hour to complete the transaction. Law enforcement agencies, working with AI technology experts, concluded that the scammers used artificial intelligence to create a highly convincing imitation of the CEO’s voice.

The identities of the criminals remain unknown. It is only known that the perpetrators used specialized software capable of accurately reproducing the CEO’s German accent and unique vocal “melody.”