Incident 1280: Reported Use of AI Voice and Identity Manipulation in the Ongoing 'Phantom Hacker' Fraud Scheme

Description: Reports allege that updated variants of the long-running "Phantom Hacker" scam use purported AI tools to enhance impersonation, including voice cloning, spoofed caller ID, and realistic digital artifacts. Fraudsters reportedly pose as tech support, bank staff, and government officials in a three-phase scheme that pressures mostly older adults to transfer funds to accounts controlled by scammers.
Editor Notes: Timeline notes: The FBI first warned about the "Phantom Hacker" scam on 10/20/2023. In fall 2025, new reporting described alleged use of artificial intelligence tools in updated versions of the scam, although these AI elements have not been confirmed by the FBI's earlier advisories. This incident ID, which will serve as a cluster ID for reporting on Phantom Hacker scams in which AI use is alleged, was created on 11/23/2025. See also Incident 1236: Quantum AI Scam Reportedly Used AI-Generated Celebrity Endorsements and Spoofed Media Sites to Solicit Investments.

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Incident Stats

Incident ID
1280
Report Count
3
Incident Date
2023-10-20
Editors
Daniel Atherton
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"The Phantom Hacker:" FBI Phoenix Warns Public of New Financial Scam
fbi.gov · 2023

Victims are tricked into thinking their financial accounts have been hacked, and scammers are stealing their life savings

**Phoenix, Ariz.--**FBI Phoenix is warning the public of a new scam dubbed "The Phantom Hacker." Scammers are imperson…

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FBI warns of new ‘Phantom Hacker’ scam draining bank accounts
wapt.com · 2025

The FBI is warning consumers about a sophisticated new scam called "The Phantom Hacker," which has already stolen more than $1 billion from unsuspecting Americans, many of them senior citizens.

The scam uses a three-phase operation that tri…

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“Phantom Hacker” Scam Steals ₹8,350 Crore Using AI Deepfakes
varindia.com · 2025

A dangerous new cybercrime wave known as the "Phantom Hacker" scam has stolen over ₹8,350 crore (US$1 billion)from elderly victims worldwide---mostly in the United States---within just one year. Criminals impersonate tech support agents, ba…

Variants

A "variant" is an AI incident similar to a known case—it has the same causes, harms, and AI system. Instead of listing it separately, we group it under the first reported incident. Unlike other incidents, variants do not need to have been reported outside the AIID. Learn more from the research paper.
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