Government officials might want to come up with a code word when their colleagues call, just to make sure they’re speaking to the actual person and not an AI impersonator. According to a State Department cable, a scammer has been using artificial intelligence to send texts and voice messages as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The fake messages were sent to three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress. At least two individuals received voicemails on Signal, while others were sent text messages inviting them to communicate on Signal. The scammer used AI to make the messages imitate Rubio’s voice and style of writing.
It is still unclear who sent the messages and why, though the cable noted that their goal was “gaining access to information or accounts” of government officials. “The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently investigating the matter,” a department official said. “The Department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department’s cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents. For security reasons, and due to our ongoing investigation, we are not in a position to offer further details at this time.”
