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Hillsborough woman conned out of $15K after AI clones daughter’s voice

DOVER, FLORIDA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, JUL 14 – Sharon Brightwell was tricked into paying $15,000 after scammers used AI to mimic her daughter’s voice in a fake legal emergency, highlighting rising AI-enabled fraud risks.

  • On July 15, 2025, Dover resident Sharon Brightwell lost $15,000 when scammers used AI to clone her daughter’s voice, convincing her to send fake bail money.
  • Experts warn new voice models enable deception, and family suspects use of social media videos, as AI start-up Hume unveiled hyperrealistic voice cloning in EVI 3.
  • In executing the scam, the caller claimed her daughter hit a pregnant woman while texting and driving, Brightwell followed instructions and a driver picked up the money, and the scammer later demanded an additional $30,000 citing a child’s death.
  • Following exposure of the scam, Brightwell’s family filed a report with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and her grandson stopped the scheme by getting her real daughter on the line.
  • To prevent similar scams, Hillsborough County detectives investigate, and Brightwell and family advise using private code words for verification.
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IT Security News - cybersecurity, infosecurity newsIT Security News - cybersecurity, infosecurity news
Center

I spoke with an AI version of myself, thanks to Hume's free tool - how to try it

EVI 3's voice cloning feature has its shortcomings. But those are significantly overshadowed by its remarkable qualities.

·United States
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Center

A cybercriminal has simulated a victim's daughter's voice to trick her and scam thousands of euros. That's how the new strategy of phishing works with artificial intelligence.

·Madrid, Spain
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WFLA-TV broke the news in Tampa, United States on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
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