AI Voice Cloning and Deepfakes: What They Are and How to Stay Safe
Software can now copy a voice from a few seconds of audio, or make a video of someone saying something they never said. This sounds alarming, but you can protect yourself with a few habits rather than technical skill.
Step by step
- Understand what is possible. A caller who sounds just like your relative may be fake. A video of a famous person promoting an investment may be fake.
- Verify by a second channel. If a call or message asks for money or secrets, hang up and contact the person on a number you already have.
- Use a safe word. A phrase only your family knows beats any technology.
- Be careful with investment videos. Celebrity endorsements of get-rich schemes are a favorite. Check the company on official sites.
- Limit what you post publicly. Long videos and voice clips on public pages give scammers material.
A prompt you can copy
Type this into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
Explain in simple terms how deepfake videos are made, and give me five signs a video might be fake.
Good to know. Strange blinking, odd lip movement, a flat tone or an urgent request for money are clues, but good fakes can still fool you. The safe word is more reliable.
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Reserve a free seatCommon questions
Can I tell a fake just by looking?
Sometimes, not always. Verification beats guessing.
Are deepfakes always criminal?
No, some are made for fun or entertainment, but you should still be careful about requests for money.