AI Voice Cloning Apps Make It Easy for Criminals to Steal Your Voice, CR Reveals

About This Project

Summary

Consumer Reports’ investigation exposed how AI voice cloning tools can be misused by scammers to steal identities and commit fraud. Through original hands-on testing of 6 popular apps, CR found that more than half of the apps lacked basic safeguards. These tools make it easy to fake someone’s voice and can enable scams like the grandparent scam, where an older adult gets a call from an imposter who sounds like a family member in need of money. Such scams cost people nearly $2.7 billion in 2023.

Goals & Objectives

To alert the public to the dangers of voice cloning technology, show how easily it can be misused, and push companies and government agencies to protect consumers. CR aimed to spark national attention, build pressure for stronger rules, and help people understand how to stay safe.

Results & Impact

Months after CR’s findings, media including NBC News and The Washington Post continue to cite the report. Nearly 60K people signed CR’s petition to the FTC, reflecting concern driven by CR’s campaign. In a major win, CR and 80K of its members helped defeat a federal effort to block state AI laws.