The Scam Unfolds
The victim, identified only as Anthony to protect his privacy, received a phone call that would set in motion a chain of events leading to significant financial loss and emotional distress. The voice on the other end of the line was unmistakably familiar - it was his son's voice, or so Anthony believed. "It was his voice. It was absolutely his voice," Anthony later recounted to ABC 7 news, emphasizing, "There was no doubt about it."
The caller, using an AI-generated voice that perfectly mimicked Anthony's son, spun a tale of urgent crisis. The impersonator claimed to have been involved in a "horrible accident" while driving, stating that he had struck a pregnant woman who was subsequently "rushed to the ICU." This shocking news immediately put Anthony on high alert, priming him for what was to come next.