Cyber fraud alert: SBI warns about AI voice-cloning scams — 5 ways to protect your money

Advancements in voice-cloning technology are giving cybercriminals another way to impersonate family members, near and dear ones, friends, or officials and trick unsuspecting victims into transferring money or sharing sensitive information, resulting in unauthorised transactions.

A call that might sound like someone you know may not always be genuine. Especially in cases where the demand for funds is urgent and a fund transfer is requested immediately.

If you ever receive such a call, ensure that you never panic and carefully verify the facts and credentials before transferring any funds or following any instructions given in the call.

Highlighting this risk and its complications, the State Bank of India (SBI) has warned people about voice-cloning scams as part of its ‘National Cyber Security Month Special Campaign 6.0’. In a post on X on 16 October 2026, the bank explained:

Don't trust unexpected calls asking for money or personal information. Always verify before you act!

If in doubt, call back the person being impersonated for confirmation.

Along with this tweet, an informative video is attached to show how such scams, i.e., cyber frauds , are carried out. In the video, a fraudster calls Sunita, claiming to be her brother, ‘Sonu’, and asks for ₹ 20,000, assuring her that he is her brother. Later, she is advised to first verify the facts by calling Sonu back before sending any money. This is how these scams are carried out.

Therefore, it is clear that voice-cloning scams may involve criminals using artificial intelligence (AI) to imitate a person’s voice. Once the first step is complete and a call gets connected with the targeted victim, the fraudster may create urgency by claiming that a relative needs emergency funds or that an account requires immediate verification.

In such cases, acting in panic can lead victims to disclose confidential details or authorise fraudulent transactions, which can subsequently lead to serious financial losses.

1. Verify the caller's identity: Disconnect such calls immediately and call the person on their saved number to confirm the request. Never panic or act under pressure in such situations. Prudence is to verify facts diligently before acting.

2. Never rush money transfers: Treat all urgent requests for money, especially from unfamiliar numbers, with caution, even if the voice sounds familiar. This goes without exception; someone generally well-known will seldom ask for funds on an urgent basis without even having a proper conversation.

3. Never share confidential details: Do not disclose confidential data and information such as OTPs, PINs, passwords, CVV numbers or banking credentials over calls. These details are personal and confidential. They should never be discussed or disclosed with anyone, even from legitimate bank officials.

4. Use a family verification code: Agree on a private word or phrase with family members to help verify unusual emergency requests. This will require you to discuss such voice-cloning calls with family members and friends. Based on the awareness codes, strategies can be developed to sidestep such requests and protect your finances.

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