Law enforcement in Beaufort County is issuing an urgent warning this morning as a wave of high-tech phone scams hits the region.
Scammers are now using artificial intelligence to steal more than just money — they are mimicking the voices of people’s family members.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office reports a sharp rise in sophisticated “AI voice-cloning” scams.
Fraudsters are using short audio clips found on social media to replicate the voice of a child or grandchild.
In several recent cases, victims received calls from a relative who sounded identical to their loved one, claiming they were in a car wreck or in jail and needed thousands of dollars for bail.
Authorities said these criminals are also spoofing the sheriffs office’s own phone number to make the calls appear legitimate.
These scammers typically demand immediate payment through Bitcoin, CashApp, or gift cards to avoid a supposed “arrest.”
They said anyone who receives a distressing call should hang up immediately and call that family member back on a known, trusted number to verify their safety.
Officials emphasize that no government agency will ever demand payment over the phone or via cryptocurrency.
Anyone who has been targeted is encouraged to contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
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